Wizards and Dragons
by lagmastermatt
Summary: About how an American teen fights for others never knowing what else is happening. And how his love for his friends leads him to become an unknown hero.
1. The American South

            In contrast to the blazing sun that would soon to be parching the land, the morning dew cooled the air to create an almost perfect temperature as birds began their routines to feed the babies and themselves.  The light blue sky's light paled as it pasted through the ghostly wisps of fog that clung to the land as if held my glue.  Pelton took all these sights as well as the sounds of Cicadas in the woods in one glance since he was an early riser and had seen this scene often.

            At only five foot nine and with dull brown hair, Pelton was an average teenager with little to distinguish himself from the thousands of others that had the same characteristics.  Some point to his glasses and his insatiable love for math or even his fascination with history to be remarkable features of character that few others possessed, but he knew this as faulty and mistaken.  He was an average southern American teenager who had been born and raised in states that had once been stars on the CSA (Confederate States of America) flag, but unlike many he was proud to be southern.

            Finally, Pelton stood and called to his dog, Snoopy, then he open the back door for both of them to enter.  Careful not to disturb his parents, Pelton snuck up stairs and sat at his computer desk.  _Now this is my territory_, he thought as he turned the computer on and watched the screen go through the standard startup procedure.  Reflecting, he realized that this would be the last time he would be able to play a computer until the next summer since he always stayed at school in the winter.  That thought brought him a smile for few other southerners could claim that they would be attending Hogwarts School of Wizardry.  _Even if they knew there were wizards in America one would think that America would have a school of its own, but alas American students travel to Britain._

            Shaking his head, Pelton chided himself for having such thoughts.  Hogwarts was an awesome school unfortunately the students seemed to have a problem with Americans.  Maybe it had to do with that extremely few old blooded wizards lived there and all of them were the outcasts, which caused most American students to be muggle born.  _Or maybe it has to do with our accents, which stick out like a sour thumb.  _"Pelton be fair," he whispered to himself "only the Slytherns say anything about Americans and of course the few French students but they hate Americans anyway."  Again smiling, Pelton finished the morning and by evening was on a Boeing-767 to the United Kingdom.


	2. Cheap Eggs

            Waking up the next morning, Pelton hastily went over his duty list for the next few days.

                        1.  Diagon Alley:  books, quill, ink, potion supplies, and spare cash.

                        2.  London:  tools, scrap metal, short fighting staff, en-transit snacks, extra         erasable pens and pencils, and                         paper.

                        3.  (You're in London!!  Sightsee)

            The last comment was an addition that was written in his mother's handwriting.  Smiling he folded the piece of paper and started his odyssey.  The morning was cool and brisk for any southern born person, and Pelton hastily walked from store to store collecting all his supplies.

            After this was done, he turned to sightseeing around London.  Watching the changing of the guard, going to Westminster Abbey, and basically just getting a feel for the capital of Great Britain were apart of the activities that Pelton accomplished on his vague third item on his list.  Unfortunately as with all activities, time flies when you are having fun, darkness fell driving him back to the hotel.  Just before going to bed though he realized as he was feeding Calico, his cat, that he needed an owl for delivery service.  _Besides,_ he thought, _Calico is getting way to old to handle being transformed into other items._  _I guess I will just have to get myself an owl tomorrow, _was his last thought before sleep overcame him.

            The next morning Pelton awoke early and was soon walking Diagon Alley.  Shops lined the streets around him selling anything he could ever need for school or in the work place.  Excitement overwhelmed him as he longed to spend all he had, but practical sense stopped him from being foolish.  As the day wore on, though, he began realizing that all the owls in the area were too expensive for his budget.  Therefore, he decided that he was going to Knockturn Alley.

            He walked to the entrance to the alley but stopped immediately when he saw a fourth year Hufflepuff that he recognized being stopped by a guard.  Inching closer, Pelton heard the guard telling the child "I hope I do not have to repeat myself no Hogwarts students are allowed into the Knockturn Alley without his or her parents or a professor of the school.  Now go back to Diagon Alley."  Walking away Pelton pondered the dilemma about how to get into the other alley.  Soon afterwards, though, he had a cloak with a hood, and he approached the Alley.

            Pelton felt odd under the cloak and hood, but he was relieved when he snuck past the hidden sentries successfully.  As he finally looked up from his chest, he could not believe the sights around him.  Pointy nosed women with catlike eyes walked by, and wide bulgy eyed men with dark brooding expressions that seemed to suck the light from the air.  Slightly frightened by the awful sight, he began to slide into is confident face and allowed his posture to relax as well as straighten.  The crowds began to part giving him the same discreet distance that all the commuters had for each other.  Feeling this he continued his progress down the street passing the wary pedestrians.

            Pelton finally stopped and entered a rickety shop with a half rotten wood sign reading "Shady's Animal Shop:  Owl babies and eggs for cheap!"  Squinting in the dim light at rows of the cages and food that lined the walls, Pelton checked the prices of all the eggs.  Here a white egg with purple spots for nine Sickles and another with yellow spots next to it for eleven Sickles.

            "Can I help you me lad?" came a deep Irish voice from a pitch-black storeroom as a slightly hunched back but muscular man approached Pelton.  Piercing black eyes that seemed to see into his inner thoughts peered at him as he stated, "What is a young Hogwart's student doing on this wonderful street alone."

            Showing nothing Pelton cautiously responded, "What makes you think I am a Hogwart's student?"  The stranger just shifted his immense weight and stared at him.  "Alright, I am, but I am just looking around to see what there is to see."

            Slowly nodding the man shifted his cloak to show his nametag that read "Thomas Shady."  "Well me lad you are not the first student here nor the last, but I should warn you the magic here is different!"  Shady moved to the opposite side of the room to a set of eggs.  "We found this one two weeks ago, and since we are not able to support anymore birds I want to give you this one.  I do this because I know that is why you are here," this he said without hesitation or sign that he may be guessing as if it was a fact in a history book.

            As Pelton took the plain freckle less egg, he realized that this egg was different than all birds' eggs that he had felt before in America.  Slowly shifting his hands across the surface of the egg that felt like it did not have a shell rather a sack that contained only air.  "This feels more like a snake's, no, a reptile's egg than a bird's egg," thought Pelton as he tried to place where he had experienced this soft of an egg.  He instead spoke aloud to Shady cautiously "I don't want t sound as if I don't trust you, but this does not feel like a bird's egg."

            Shady shrugged nonchalantly "I am not sure what type of bird it might be, but I am sure that it can only be such since nothing else would be like it, me lad."  Lazily Shady moved to the counter where he handed Pelton a warmer unit "please take care of the creature, me lad.  Though from the looks of ya, I have a feeling that you have a great love for animals!"

            Putting the egg into a sack with the activated warmer, Pelton approached the door and prepared to leave the extremely odd Irish salesman.  "Well, you are right my friend.  I do love animals.  See ya later."  Waving, Pelton scampered away from the shop.  He half walked, half ran past the guards with his hood down and face hidden.  "Who was that guy?  His guesses were more accurate than most people's facts!" he whispered to himself.

            Gathering his books for the rest of the year, he at last went back to his hotel in London and started panning what do next while he cleaned his new AK-47 and his Mauser 98k.  Picking up the ammo boxes, he counted that he had three hundred 5.45mm AK-47 bullets and forty 7.92mm Mauser rounds.  He could do quite a lot of damage with that and he could not wait to use these deadly weapons.


	3. The Hogwarts Express

            Quietly, Pelton snuck onto the train as other students said their farewells.  He had to smile as he recognized his fellow countrymen as well as other none English students such as Australians, Chinese, and a few French students.  All of the foreign students knew to grab seats before the English boarded and the train filled to the brim.  "Hey Pelton!  Keep the seat next to you open.  I need to talk to you," a clear New English accent rang out.  A heavy built, dwarf of a man whose shape looked out of place anywhere but on a football field soon followed the voice.  _You are in England now idiot!  Football here is American Football.  _After thinking this Pelton found it natural to smile at the newcomer who asked to sit next to him.

            "How have ya been John?"  Pelton asked with a chuckle as John gave a face of pain.

            "If I have to go home one more time I am going to hurl!  The muggles up there make me sick.  Why my ancestors ever moved there is beyond me," John shook his head at this and looked over to the boarding English.  John Middleton's family was the only American pureblooded wizard family still surviving therefore he often found it hard to be with his fellow Americans.  John and Pelton were roommates and often debated different philosophies, but this made them stronger friends when coupled with their dislike for the ethnic hatreds that faced only faced the world.

            "Hey John have you heard about the rumor of Voldemort.  I heard that Harry saw him and he is alive," John shivered when he mentioned Voldemort by name.  Chiding himself for the thousandth time, he had forgotten that wizards rarely mention him by name.

            "My god man!  How many times do I have to tell you and the rest of our peers?  It is unsafe to mention his name out loud!"  After saying this, John sat back in exasperation muttering something to the effect of "damn Muggle-bornes," John had been old enough to recall the fear that his parents had for Voldemort before his mysterious disappearance after killing the Potters.  His relatives all were mediocre wizards- in fact John was the first non-Hufflepuff family member- who were considered strange by wizard terms.  Since that is how they were considered, the Middletons had worried that they would be attacked.

            Deciding to ignore his best friend's admonishments, Pelton watched the last students enter.  This gave him an excellent view when Harry Potter and his friends, who surprisingly enough had the Prefect badges not Harry, walked inside the train.  "Well, what were you wanting to tell me anyways?"

            Jumping up surprised by the sudden change in subjects, John muttered in reply "Oh, sorry, forgot.  I got an owl from Dumbledore asking me to tell you that you being moved to the attic of Gryffindor tower.  He did not say why but the entrance in right outside our room.  I mean my room now that you are moving," Shaking his head, John finished by giving a shrug and lying back again.

            As John drifted to sleep, Pelton found himself pulling out a book that he had been waiting all summer to read.  He pulled out a plain book with a bare front and back.  He whispered "libre reveale," as he tapped three times on the book.  With a flash, the words appeared on the book reading "Staff Wizardry and Metal Amplification of Wands and Staffs."  For the rest of the train trip, he read as much as he could for he had a reason he had asked for a room to himself.


	4. Staffs

(This chapter begins immediately following the sorting in Order of the Phoenix.  Also, sorry for the long delay on the update I have been moving into my new dorm and have been settling in so this is my first chance to update, thanks.)

            Shortly after his first dinner back in Hogwarts, Pelton climbed a short wooden later into his new room.  He was met by a large octagon room with a window on each wall.  Looking closely at the wall, he noticed that the wall was deep gray and consisted of large blocks of granite.  Near the center of the ceiling, the room had a trapdoor that led to a turreted roof.  The whole setup reminded him of a Medieval castle.

            Walking over to his new bed, which looked more like an army cot, Pelton started unpacking his luggage.  After folding and storing his clothing, he pulled out is new egg and set it on the floor where he would be able to deal with it in the morning.  Completing this task, he sat back on his bed and began to read in his new book the introduction to Chapter two "Staff Fighting and Spells:"

_"Staff use of fighting and casting spells is considered as old as the art of wand use.  Where as wands are better for practical spells such as cleaning and transfiguration, staffs are a fighter's forte.  In fact, most spells used with staffs are shorter in words and can be caste without need for special movement.  Mostly, this is due to the impracticality of such delay in casting when a wizard is fighting.  Therefore, usually the casting consists of a single or pair of words and then a point the staff at ones target.  For instance to fire a fireball with a wand, one has to wave five times and cry 'effecto allba incintor.'  In contrast, all one, armed with a staff, has to do is point and state 'incintor alba.'_

_Another useful property of the staff is its melee function.  Staffs are deadly with combat spells, but most often the spells are to help the wizard shorten the range to point blank distance.  Fighting with staffs in melee combat is an often overlooked art, but it usually wins a fight since few wizards expect the crushing blow of a staff or know how to prevent it."_

            After reading this and the rest of the introduction, Pelton fell asleep with little trouble.  He arose the next morning early to tend to his new egg.  He positioned the warmer in front of the window so that the sunlight would help warm the egg.  After doing that he set a large plant in front of it to keep it hidden.  Looking down Pelton felt a flutter in his heart.  _This is my egg, my little baby!  No one else will be looking after it only me, _he thought about his last revelation and realized that he would now have be responsible for another creature.  Even though the weight of his new duty felt to heavy for him to bear, he realized that he could actually care for the bird since now he had little choice.  These feelings were eerie but wonderful at the same time.  He could hardly wait for the bird's birth.

            Soon afterwards, Pelton climbed down his ladder and stepped into a new life.


	5. The Guns

(Sorry about the shortness of the last few chapters hopefully this chapter will be long enough for everyone.)

            After several weeks, most students had settled into the routine of classes.  Even though some students were having trouble with the new Defense-Against-the-Dark-Arts teacher, Pelton like most other students was surviving with the changes.

            Leaving early from breakfast, Pelton ran to his room for the gear that he would need this day.  He smiled when he remembered Professor Snape's angry face when informed that Pelton would be teaching a lesson of Muggle Studies that day.  _Well, missing double potions would tend to anger a professor," _he contemplated.

            By the time the first bell rang, Pelton had created a firing range near Professor Hagrid's cabin.  Soon after, twenty, sixth year students began arriving from Ravenclaw and Slytherin.  As he began surveying his students, he noticed the difference in demeanor of the houses.  While the Ravenclaws waited patiently to learn something new, the Slytherins snickered and treated the class as a joke.  He was able to overhear some of the Slytherins asking, "where is our Professor?" and "what are those funny looking objects on the ground?"  Finally Pelton decided to introduce himself.

            "Welcome class, I am Pelton.  Before we start I want any muggle-bornes to raise your hands,"  Feeling dismayed, Pelton discovered all of his students were pure bloods.  Showing nothing, Pelton continued, "whereas we use wands to cast spells.  Muggles invented gunpowder to supplement for their lack of magic.  This led to the creation of guns.  Since all of you have little knowledge of the muggle world, your Professor asked me to demonstrate muggle weapons on account that she has little first hand knowledge."  He paused at finishing this and began fighting his anger as the Slytherin students began snickering again.  "When you one day visit the muggle world for the ministry or for vacation, you will have to know have knowledge about two things, cars and guns.  Cars you will study another time and will learn to use.  Guns you will learn to appreciate and to fear.  For although guns are loud and sometimes inaccurate, they can kill a person as easy as the unforgettable spells."  At this, the Slytherins began laughing as loud as they could.  

            When inquired by one of the Ravenclaws, the Slytherin leader mocked Pelton by saying "'guns can kill as easy as the unforgettable spells,' ha muggles are just stupid, poor excuses of humans.  They hardly have anything we wizards have to worry about!"

            At hearing this, Pelton felt one of his odd angers began to swell inside him.  Calmly as the Slytherin leader continued his lecture, Pelton loaded a magazine into his AK-47.  Switching to full automatic, he aimed at one of the pumpkins that Professor Hagrid was growing and that he had requisitioned from Hagrid.  He pulled the trigger several times and unloaded a full thirty rounds into the pumpkin, which hardly resembled one afterwards.  Pelton slowly unclipped the magazine and turned to look at his now dead silent class.  Walking until he was almost nose-to-nose with the Slytherin leader, whose nametag read Roger Malfoy, Pelton spat "now that I have demonstrated what muggle guns can do to someone, let me inform you how ignorant you pure bloods are.  Magic is great but not even the Great Voldemort could split an atom,"  Seeing the confusion on everyone's face, he added, "atoms are little particles that all objects contain.  Muggles were able to take those particles and split them, which created a weapon that destroyed an entire city.  This weapon killed nearly a two hundred thousand people and was used twice.  Your magic would not help you against that!  I would face you any day with a good muggle gun at my side,"  Surprisingly, Roger seem to understand that Pelton had challenged him to a duel to the death, but Roger was too scared and embarrassed to create a retort."

            Four hours later, Pelton left the field with his staff after running two miles to relieve his anger.  Knowing his weapons were stored with Professor McGonagall helped him reach the Main Hall without fretting too much.  Though he had been criticized heavily for his scare tactic, he did catch the snicker that she let out when he walked out of her room.  Obviously, he was hardly the only one who has wanted to clip some wings.  Pelton had to admit that he had been wrong to lose his anger even though the Slytherins needed the bruising.  These thoughts carried him through the rest of the day until he was leaving dinner and he walked to near that top of some stairs.  Hearing a distressed voice, Pelton stopped and listened.

            "Hmm, why have you not been around me lately?  Am I not good enough now that you are in Ravenclaw?  Do you think that you are superior to me?"  A male voice purred with a touch of anger underneath a cold voice.

            Sniffling and whinny, another voice, female he assumed, softly responded "No!  Please let me go!  I have been studying and have had hardly enough time to sleep much less sleep with you."  She sniffled again; Pelton began to ascend softly to try and go around the obviously private conversation, but froze when he heard her soft plea.  "Please stop, I don't want to do anything with you right now.  STOP please."

            Pelton finally stepped into the open and was greeted by the sight of Roger Malfoy and a Ravenclaw girl that he recognized as one of his other students.  With his hands down her pants, Roger had the girl pinned against a wall in one of the abandoned classrooms.  The poor girl's face streamed with tears that caused her make-up to run.  "Roger!  I would hate to have to call one of the Prefects in here so why don't you let the girl go."  Emphasizing this, Pelton took two steps toward Roger and leaned against his staff.

            Taking his hand out of the girl's pants Roger turned and came within two feet of Pelton, but kept himself between the girl and the door.  "Why don't you leave?  This is between Josephine and myself not with a muck-blood like you."  By this point several other students had entered and were watching the scene with expressions that showed whose side they were on, Pelton's.  Roger started becoming even more furious when Pelton continued to hold his position with a relaxed stance against his staff.

            "Roger I do not know how English culture acts towards women, but in Southern America when a woman says 'no' she means it.  So I will ask you one more time do you want me to ask a Prefect or would you rather walk out that door and leave now?"  Roger, now beyond reason, yanked out his wand and immediately cried "isarmda," which fired a bolt of disarming electricity.  Acting out of reflects, Pelton lightly sidestepped, but as he was sidestepping the odd calm feeling of anger again descended.  He found himself continuing his sidestep with a quick spin while back jabbing with his staff.  Hardly even knowing that he had been hit, Roger fell limply on the ground free flowing blood streaming from his broken nose and split lip.

            Turning, Pelton was met by an extremely silent audience.  Standing by the doorway, he recognized the new Defense-Against-the-Dark-Arts-Teacher- he had forgotten her name since he knew that someone else would be there next year.  His joy at winning evaporated when he realized that she most likely had missed seeing Roger's attack and had only seen his own attack.  Joy led to fear then to despair as she led him to Professor Dumbledore's office.


	6. Dumbledore's Office

(Sorry for the wait Owl Homework, my Chemistry homework, was due this next week and I had to work on it.  I hope you enjoy even if it is short.)

            Many students complete their curriculum at Hogwarts without ever visiting the office of the Headmaster.  For this reason, Pelton had little idea what the inside would look like though he had a few preconceptions.  For one, Pelton would have thought that a headmaster's office would have been more bare and pragmatic, but he soon found that this he was wrong.  Headmaster Dumbledore surprised him with the sheer number of tidbits and items that Dumbledore had obtained.  If he were in any other situation, Pelton would have enjoyed studying all the interesting items.

            Unfortunately, the lady standing adjacent to him harshly reminded him that he was hardly in a position to begin studying anything.  Pelton tried to calm himself long enough to be able to prepare his arguments and save himself from losing his temper and making a fool of himself.  Being Irish and Cherokee, he knew from experience that it was a losing and ultimately futile struggle.  His anger seethed inside him boiling to a point that nearly overwhelmed him, but his anger was unable to win since he had faced it more than he could count.

            Soon afterwards, though, Pelton had a revival of his temper when Professor Dumbledore finally appeared.  "Dolorace what has happened?  I heard that Roger Malfoy is in the ward," he tranquilly stated while he studied Pelton with an expression that would make poker players envious.  His wizened face frowned though when he heard Professor Umbridge's, Pelton had finally remembered her name, story.  Sitting and laying back, Dumbledore sighed.  "Dolorace tell me did you ever bother asking the other witnesses what had happen before you arrived?" he patently inquired.

            Completely flabbergasted Umbridge replied, "Why should I ask?  I arrived to find this boy standing with a bloody staff over an unconscious young man.  This _boy_ attacked another student in fact a well-respected son of a ministry head!  What need of I to listen as his fellow conspirators try an justify his blatant assault?"  After finishing her oration, Umbridge smirked at Pelton with a face that he longed to wipe clean.  Quickly and firmly, Pelton squashed this idea since he knew that his only chance of surviving this trial rested in the desk before him.  Attacking, he realized, would completely undermine his defense.

            Suddenly and without warning, Dumbledore sprang out of his seat and angrily approached Umbridge until they were nose-to-nose.  "Understand now that you are mistaken.  Did you bother to ask the reason for Sabine's bruises?  Or why Roger's wand was found next to him?  If you had had the foresight to ask those who had witnessed the event, you would have learned that your 'well respected' student had been in the process of harassing a girl and would have probably raped her without the intervention of Pelton."  While Dumbledore admonished Umbridge, Pelton noticed that Dumbledore seemed to grow in size, as Umbridge seem to shrink.  Seeing this reminded Pelton that Dumbledore was considered one of the most powerful wizards for an extremely good reason.  "Even though you are considered the High Inquisitor, you will not be able to tell me how to do my job, and you will be unable to punish Pelton!  That is final and you can leave my office."  With that, Dumbledore turned from her and looked at the portraits of the former Headmasters.  Umbridge, though hardly the sharpest adult, understood the slight and the threat that she had received.  Flinching, Pelton felt the searing heat that emanated from her eyes and scorched him.  Finally, Umbridge hissed and stormed though the exit.

            Dumbledore continued to stand fixedly and erect until the stairs completely sealed themselves.  Suddenly and surprisingly, Dumbledore's shoulders slumped and without speaking turned towards the closed stairs.  Pelton saw what few, including Harry Potter, had ever seen.  His face looked as if time had finally defeated Dumbledore.  After a lifetime had passed, he sighed and chuckled.  "Pelton, I am going to tell you something that you are forbidden to tell anyone else in the school.  My time is barrowed and will soon be due.  I have been Headmaster here through peace, but I doubt that I will see the end of this new war in the same office.  Professor Umbridge and I were once lovers, and she was once a wonderful women.  But, as with all stories, conflicts change and shape people in ways they can never recover.  Ask me not what happen, but she will take any chance-with pleasure I might add-to cast me from my office.  Fudge knew this and used it to his advantage," softly Dumbledore explained.  Sitting in his chair, Dumbledore soon reminded Pelton of Gandalf from JRR Tolken's imagination.  "Roger Malfoy might not be the Draco's brother, but he is his cousin and still very influential with the Ministry.  To make matters worse he has hardly any redeeming qualities that Draco at least portrays here and there."

            Feeling like a dog with his tail between his legs, Pelton dropped his head and fought tears, which were his unfortunate bane.  "Sorry, Professor Dumbledore I will try to stay away from him," _even if he is raping a girl_ Pelton continued in his mind.

            Without warning, Dumbledore began chuckling again.  When Pelton's head sprang to face him, Pelton noticed that he almost seemed to have heard the additional thoughts-which was preposterous.  Yet as Dumbledore's laughter failed to dissipate, Pelton began to wonder if Dumbledore had truly heard.  "Listen, I gave you the room in the tower to practice your staff fighting, you proved to me that it was hardly in vain," Dumbledore began when he had finally gained control of his laughter.  "I want you to continue you hard work with it, and I now want you to continue your staff lessons during Defense Against the Dark Arts classes since I am unable to trust Professor Umbridge to be unbiased towards you.  Therefore, during that time please meet me at the edge of the Dark Forest were I will continue you lessons in practical combat."

            _This is impossible!  I get to skip one of the worst classes to practice an art that I truly enjoy._  Overwhelmed all Pelton was able to do was stare at him.  Seemingly noticing his inability to articulate words Dumbledore added, "this will be a difficult and dangerous class you will now be taken for we will be fighting real battles, and you will be hurt.  I understand I am breaking several rules unfortunately for the Ministry, and their 'High Inquisitor,' I care about little that they think is holy.  For, I am in need of real fighters for the war ahead since wizardry will only win some battles.  Remember this will NOT be a game, and often you will be in peril.  Luckily I have the feeling that you are tough enough to handle yourself.  Now go back to your tower and prepare yourself this weekend for the trials on Monday.  Goodnight and goodbye."  With this Dumbledore ushered Pelton out of his office with only the reprimand that he was forbidden to tell his "punishment" for the Roger attack to anyone.  Pelton was unable to remember a time that he was more excited and scared at the same time.  For he knew that failure in the trials would be deadly unlike the games he played on Computers in America.


	7. Dragons

            After leaving Headmaster Dumbledore's office, Pelton realized that his life soon would be changing.  This change, though, probably would be for the good even if dangerous.  Nearly bouncing, he though the tower into his person sanctum of the attic and began practicing with his staff.  Soon he began to feel extremely hungry and walked to the main hall for supper, but left shortly thereafter when he felt to crowded.  Finally, Pelton settled in bed and snacked on some steak and chicken from dinner and read his Potion's Text.

            _Crack!_  Pelton ignored the sound as mason settling in its frame when the sound repeated itself.  Slowly he sat up and walked to the center of the floor and listened.  _Crack!  Rip!  _After hearing this, a cold sweat rolled down his forehead as understanding dawned upon him.  Slowly walking to his egg, he watched as spider-web fractures opened in its smooth translucent surface.  He found that he was unable to move or comprehend that his pet his child was being born.  Even with his surprise soon instinct and adrenaline set in, and he quickly collected blankets and the remnants of dinner.  By this time, the egg had fallen apart and instead stood a lizard nearly two-and-half feet tall.  

            Wrapping the creature with the blankets, Pelton shoved food before it while it began to eat with an appetite to make lions shutter.  At first, he thought the creature was a dinosaur, but clarity bestowed the knowledge when it looked at him with childish yet intelligent eyes that seemed to pierce the flesh.  Pelton knew then that the creature was a dragon and fear mixed with wonder swirled within him.  Shortly though, the dragon yawned and rested its head on the table and was instantly asleep.

            Rooted to his seat, Pelton stared at the sleeping dragon, and he realized that he was now a parent of a creature he knew nothing in the ways of caring for it needs.  Slowly rising Pelton grabbed his staff and casted a "chameleon spell" and snuck out of the corridor.  He jogged to the kitchens and bargained to get meat from some of the cooks.  Afterwards he snatched several books from the library while he successfully dodged the night guards, Filch and his cat-again another name that he choice to forget-in a way that only desperate parents know how to do.

            Returning, Pelton fed the dragon more meat when it awoke shortly afterwards with precision that almost seemed deliberate, which of course was preposterous with a baby.  After feeding his child he fell asleep in his chair with a blanket around himself contemplating his next move.

            Awaking to the morning rays, Pelton ate a hurried breakfast where he snatched several plates full of food so that he could feed his baby.  Walking back silently and hurriedly, Pelton returned to his room for the morning.  He was surprised to find that his dragon had grown a foot longer that night and was now able to sit and walk.  Even though baffled by the growth, Pelton realized that his dragon would be extremely hungry by now and raced to feed him.  Rommel, the name he decided on until he could discover the gender, ate with more politeness then he had the night before.

            Now with most the tasks done, Pelton glimpse his first unflustered look at his new roommate.  With blue scales that seemed to flow more then protect and pale ice like blue eyes, Rommell seemed beautiful beyond words.  Noticing the belly of him, Pelton watched as sunlight reflected off brilliant silver armor that would make a knight quail.  

            Finally though, Pelton decided that he would have to go to class.  Therefore, he grabbed his books and barely made class on time.  Snape seemed in a better mood then normal and for the most part left then Griffindors alone, but as fate always seems, Pelton's happiness soon was smashed.

            "Where do you think you are going Muckblood?  I have a bone to pick with you and my friends here want to meet you.  So my suggestion is that you start begging for mercy and start now."  With this, Roger's two comrades began to approach down the steps Pelton had been walking up out of Snape's class while Roger stood and watch with a sneer.  Taking two steps down Pelton planted his feet and brought his staff into a defense position.

            "If I were you, I would not force me into repeating the beating I gave you to your two friends here," emphasizing this he did a lazy spiral swing.  Stopping, the two thugs looked at each other uneasily then glanced back at Roger.  Pelton took several unhasty steps forward passing the two bullies and halted next to Roger.  "If you want to face me, then get a fucking spine and do your own dirty work!"  After speaking, Pelton calmly walked passed the stunned and perturbed Roger before he decided to attack again.

            Pelton half sprinted shortly afterwards to the library where he sought sanctuary.  Once inside and safe to breathe easily, he began reading books about dragons.  Concentrating, he desperately searches for the species that Rommel belonged.  Futilely he sought the information that eluded him at every corner where "Walsh Greens" and "Hornblowers" awaited him mockingly.  Nearly asleep, he almost missed a vague and miniscule section about a "Swedish Dwarf Dragon" whose description matched Rommel with uncanny accuracy.  Reading past the initial description, Pelton continued "_the Swedish Dwarf was missed named four thousand years ago by observers who noticed the beginning stages of the dragon's growth.  It starts a quick growth to about a twenty-foot wing span which seems small in comparison of other dragons.  Though it stays this size for nearly a hundred years, the Swedish Dwarf later does grow to seventy-foot wingspan by the time it reaches one hundred and thirty years of age.  Hardly a 'dwarf' at this size, the Swedish Dwarf keeps this size for around nine hundred years when it dies of old age.  The Mid-evil time brought in the near extinction of the Swedish Dwarf since most of them were small enough to be killed by knights.  Now considered as the rarest dragon since there has only been two sighting, the Swedish Dwarf is also the most magically powerful dragon.  Therefore, the Ministry of Magic has a kill on sight with rewards for any wizard who succeeds.  Even though legends speak of wizards for had them as pets, these dragons should be considered dangerous and should not be confronted by anything less then a group of wizards._  "Well it looks as if you are neck deep this time Pelton," Pelton whispered to himself.  Returning the book, Pelton raced to deliver additional food to Rommel.

            As he proceeded to his room, Pelton decided that he would try and raise Rommel regardless what would happen.


	8. Practice and Revelations

            Missing again a probe at the left, Pelton immediately went to a defensive position and blocked the counterstrike of his opponent.  His attacker was sword-toting skeleton whose bony figure made it all but impossible to jab effectively.  _Besides, _thought Pelton, _he seems to know how to use his sword._  Staying on the defensive, Pelton waited for his opening that he knew would come if he was patient.  The opportunity came when the skeleton swung low leaving his upper body open.  After backpedaling one step, he swung as with a baseball bat high using his superior reach to hit the head of his opponent.

            "Good, but you wasted to much time with him.  If that had been a real fight more skeletons would have appeared before you would have been able to vanquish him!  Next time trick him into overstepping instead of waiting for the same action."  Dumbledore stated this with an air of experience that he seemed to say everything that he had thrown at Pelton.  After several weeks of hard work and number of skirmishes with monsters that he had only dreamed of, Pelton's fatigue grew by exponentially.  "Now I want you to face several hobgoblins at once to practice your multiple enemy skills."  _Now this is something I can deal with,_ thought Pelton since hobgoblins were his standard punching bag.

            Soon five hobgoblins appeared walking from the forest with a light of hope of slaughter, but unfortunately for them they were going to be sorely disappointment.  Letting his anger and weariness become new strength as he would in baseball, Pelton planted his feet while blocking the first hobgoblins attack.  He blocked low and spun around to bring his staff in hard to his attacker, but he hit only air.  Smiling wickedly, the leader rushed at full speed.  Since usually hobgoblins rarely attacked solely, Pelton was surprised as the leader crashed into him and sent him several feet.  Rolling, Pelton lost his grip on his staff that flew several feet away.  Before he could call for his staff, though, another hobgoblin attacked with a jab meant to gut him.  Remembering old fighting skills he had been taught by friends in middle school, he spring up sidestepped the jab while grabbing the arm of the hobgoblin and snapped against his knee breaking the bone instantly.  Pelton pummeled the unlucky goblin in the head and blocked a blow from another.  Twisting the sword, he cut the wrist of his new attacker, but even then two more goblins stepped in to confront him.  When they decided to attack at an acute angle to each other, Pelton leaped between them and stabbed the right one and elbowed the other in the stomach.  By that time, the leader had rejoined the battle with a swing that almost severed his head.  Ducking, he jabbed his captured sword into the goblin gut while pushing it off its feet returning the favor for earlier.  When the living hobgoblins saw the death of their leader they fled into the woods leaving the bodies of their fallen.

            With the main practice over, Dumbledore excused Pelton for the rest of day.  Stumbling up the stairs, he collapsed into one of his chairs while stripping.  Seemly crawling at the speed he walked, Pelton waltzed to the showers.  After an invigorating shower, he settled in front of his desk and began to work on his Charms homework.  _Aren't you forgetting something_?  A disembodied voice asked.  Startled he glanced around for the voice and then remembered that in fact he had forgotten to feed Rommel.  Dismissing the voice as his weary conscience, he grabbed steak and began feeding his ever-growing dragon.  Since he was petting Rommel's head and scratching its ear, he did missed the voice say _Thank you!_  When he did realize that the voice had spoken again, he jumped up and whorled to face his intruder.  The now distinctly feminine and bemused voice declared _I am not over there.  I am over here and I pose to you no harm.  In fact I have been in here many weeks now!_

            "Who are you and what have you seen?"  Pelton demanded to the women.  As he spoke he grabbed his ever staff and went into a defensive stance.

            He was angered, as the voice now openly laughing seemed to be joined by his obviously ignorant dragon that seemed not to understand the direr situation.  _Put your staff away I will not harm you!  You are my father and protector how could I ever want to harm you?_  With sudden realization, Pelton noticed that Rommel was hooting and hissing intone with the voice.  Thinking back, he remembered similar stories of people who could talk to animals that they would hear what others heard and yet still her the words in their native language.

            Turning to Rommel, he accursedly stated, "Rommel that is you speaking ain't it?"  The affirmative nod from Rommel surprised and excited Pelton.  "You have been able to speak this whole time and you have held your tongue!  If you were human, I would punish you right now," he declared with a surprisingly stern face that he struggled to keep as he fought laughing.

            Unfazed she (now that he finally knew Rommel's gender) approached and affectionately rubbed her head against him.  _I have stayed silent in an attempt to learn more about you and the world around me since my ancestors never have had similar experiences._  Reading his mind, Rommel continued with _my ancestors long ago learned how to pass memories and experiences to their children so that we can be born without parents and yet still fend for ourselves.  This alone is why we have survived through the Dragon Purges from both humans and sorcerers._

            Hardly understanding much of what he heard, Pelton decided to change the subject pointing out "I guess since you are female I better pick a new name for you.  Would you like Joan of Arc or Cleopatra?  Or maybe a more modern named such as Elizabeth or Victoria?"

            Laughing again, Rommel shook her head and responded.  _I have already become accustom to the name Rommel and am honored to bear the name of the general you admire enough to name your first child.  If you are worried about me needing a more feminine name then just call me Rom.  Now I was wondering when I will be allowed to stretch my wings a little?  This place is getting a little cramped._  She demonstrated this by extending her wings and letting them hit the walls nearby.

            Thinking quickly, Pelton remembered that most of the students would still be at Hogsmeade and that he might be able to let her out since it was night.  Running to the trapdoor in the ceiling, he walked out to the roof.  Looking down he started penciling a wide rectangle into the brick.  Finally, he summoned some extra wood and nails.  Using one of his screwdrivers, being a son of an Engineer he rarely went far without one handy, he began to screw new hinges into the brink and wood.  Soon he had fashioned a new trapdoor that would easily allow Rommel in and out of the attic.

            Opening the new door Pelton watched with fascination as Rom flew from the room and stretched her wings fully.  They were nearly fifteen feet long and she was little over twice that long!  How he had failed to realize how large she was before was beyond his comprehension.  Flying high she flew out of sight while leaving behind a mental picture in Pelton's mind of fresh meat.  Shaking his head in befuddlement, he walked to his desk and tried to concentrate on his homework but finally gave up and went to bed.

  


            He slept so soundly that he missed the return of his beloved child who silently landed in the attic.  Calmly and quietly she sat and stared at her master and father while pondering what he would decide to do with her.  She used her shared memories to go back to the days of her parents when humans had hunted her kind into almost extinction.  She thought of her real father who had died protecting his mate while she was in flight to protect her unborn child.  What would Pelton do when he realized the power that came with killing a dragon?  She pondered into the night and soon decided that short of flying away she had little choice but to trust her new found master and father.  Closing the trapdoor she lied down and fell into a troubled sleep.


	9. A Flight to Remember

[Sorry this ended up being a little longer then I had anticipated and ended up being something I should have turned into two chapters but anyways I hope that you enjoy.]

            Hugging the ground, Pelton felt the wind of the passing inferno pass over him.  Leaping back to a crouch, he faced the dark shape before him.  Ever since Umbridge started taking notice of Pelton's practices several weeks back, Dumbledore began teaching him in the Forbidden Forest.  This was the first one though that he had not seen whom he was facing.  Spinning his staff he called "buckler" and a misty energy formed around his staff.  This allowed him to block the next spell, a lighting bolt, while he whipped his wand out and returned fire with expelleramus spells back towards his attacker.  The shadow disappeared in the brushes and soon started firing from a different position.  Soon, his shield collapsed, and Pelton found himself kissing the ground again.  Trying to recover his wits, he sought a way to repel his attacker long enough to kill or stun it.  Crawling to a nearby tree, he propped up against the tree and waited for an opening in the bombardment.  His enemy must have realized that he had hid behind a tree since soon the attacks started oblique around his defense.  Seeing his opportunity, Pelton leaped towards his attacker and ducked under the frantic defensive fire.  Now in arm range, he swung his staff in a bone-shattering arc only to be stopped short by another staff.  Startled, Pelton stepped back and was barely able to stop a counter thrust by his staff-wielding opponent.  Regaining from his momentary surprise, Pelton faked an attack to his left but instead spun around three hundred degrees with a right blow.  Off balance, the shadow barely blocked the attack, but it was unable to stop from stumbling a few feet.  Realizing that his opponent was defenseless, Pelton jabbed where its ribs should be.  Finally, he seemed to have luck as his aggressor stumbled and with a moan fell backwards.

            Approaching carefully, Pelton soon realized with growing dread that he taken out Professor Dumbledore.  "It has been to long since I ever faced some one in melee combat.  I am too old for such undertakings," sighing Dumbledore offered a weak smile to Pelton.  "Good job!  Any regular wizard would not have been as fortunate to have a staff to save them.  But anyways will you help me to Hogwarts?  I think I might want to get this attended to before I pass out."

            With Dumbledore's arm around his shoulders, Pelton stumbled through the forest.  After leaving Dumbledore in the Headmaster's office, Pelton silently returned to his attic.  Students passed by without looking at him as if he was invisible.  Unfortunately, Pelton had become accustomed to this and paid little heed to the other students.  This caused him to miss that someone was walking next to him almost until he ran into her.  "Excuse me mam I did not see you," Pelton stuttered as he circled around the female.

            "You are going nowhere my friend except with me," with this she grabbed him and dragged him into a nearby room and shut the door.  As she turned to him, he recognized her as Sabine, the girl that Roger had tried to rape.  "I never got the chance to look for you since I was trying to keep myself from Roger.  I wanted to say 'thank you for' for saving me months back.  Since my fellow Ravenclaws do not want me to be around them with Roger, therefore Draco, hostile towards me.  I asked Professor Dumbledore to allow me to be in Gryffindor, and he said I could!  After he told me to seek you out so that I can get to my new room with the fifth year students," as she finished, Pelton noticed that she seemed much prettier then he remembered from the incident.  _Of course you idiot she had been crying and was in the process of being raped,_ his conscience reminded him.  Taking that she held out for him, he scanned over it and nodded that it was genuine.

            "Alright, our entrance is the Fat Lady picture.  Follow me and I will show you the way," calmly Pelton beginning weaving his way through the passing students.  Josephine, he remembered her name from Dumbledore's office, silently followed and seemed intrigued by how easily he walked through the students.  Realizing that he was being extremely unfriendly towards her, Pelton asked, "do you know many Gryffindor students?"  When she shook her head he continued with "well I will introduce you to some of them I know, and hopefully they will know more to introduce you to.  Anyways, do you have a nickname of any sort?"

            She looked embarrassed by the question and mumbled, "My real name is Josephine but most of my old friends in France called me Lacy which is my middle name.  I guess that is what I answer best to is Lacy."  Her cheeks went rosy red when she finished and looked down at her feet.  They walked in silence for several uneasy seconds before she inquired, "how do you walk through the crowd so easily?"

            Laughing at her obvious need to change the subject, Pelton replied with, "when you are use to being overlooked and are not needing to look for friends, you usually have an easier time walking and letting people get out of your way."  Realizing that he had sounded extremely vindictive, he shrugged and continued "I don't mean do complain.  I do have friends here and they are nice but usually I feel more at ease when not around crowds therefore I make an effort to get away from them as fast as I can."  With another shrug, he hasted through the chatting pedestrians until he reached the entrance to the Gryffindor entrance where he cried the password to enter.

            Upon entering the lounge of Gryffindor, Pelton and Lacy were immediately beset by dozens of students wondering who the newcomer was.  Soon, though, order was restored when a girl with hair that should belong to the mane of a lion shooed the curious students away.  "Pelton what is this all about?  You know the rule that no other hall students are allowed in here!" Hermione, the frizzy haired girl, accusingly declared in a high pinch voice.  She came until everyone could have noticed the Prefects badge on her chest.

            Feeling odd towering over the little fifth year bookworm, Pelton handed her the note and explain - for the benefit of the others - "Lacy has been transferred from Ravenclaw to Gryffindor by Professor Dumbledore.  I would appreciate ya'll showing her the respect that she deserves."  Snickering at the flinching of most of the students at his southern slang, he waited patiently for Hermione to finish surveying the note.  He had hardly settled into a relax position when she finished reading and snatched Lacy to one side.

            Afterwards, Lacy began to meet people throughout the lounge while Pelton quietly and quickly hurried around the crowd and disappeared up the stairs before anyone had even noticed that he had left.  Finally finding the safety of his own room, Pelton sat down to ponder all that had happen.  Since he was thinking of Lacy and her well-formed body, he failed to notice that an oriental female sat on his bed reading one of his numerous books.  "Well, well, someone seems to be dazed.  I wonder what he is thinking about," jumping almost out of his skin, Pelton whorled around to look at the speaker.  The female was about his height with flowing gold hair and was wearing one of Pelton's student robes.  Slowly stepping forward, she moved with a cat like grace and a gentle swaying of her hip that would make almost any guys groin hurt.  Surprisingly – especially to Pelton – he was hardly attracted to the female, and he realized that in her voice he seemed to recognize something familiar.

            Realization dawned on him soon afterwards, though, and he smiled and stated, "I knew that you were powerful, but I did not think that you could transform!"  He relaxed and began to tip his chair back while the female, whose smile replicated Pelton's, sat down on the bed and began to laugh.  Chuckling to himself, Pelton thought about all the materials that he had read about the Swedish Dwarf and failed remember anything about being able to become human.

            "As far as my ancestors could tell, you are the only non-dragon that knows about our ability.  We started morphing shortly after the start of your Dark Age since people started trying to hunt us into extinction.  That is why we have survived for as long as we have," giving a short guffaw she stopped and continued.  "To tell you the truth I have been saving it as a surprise and have already walked around the school some."  Seeing the look of horror on Pelton's face made Rommel laugh even harder.

            Shaking his head, Pelton slowly stood up and walked over to Rommel and put an arm around her shoulder.  "Listen I know that you get lonely around here during the day.  All I ask is that you be careful when you walk amongst the rest of the world.  If anyone else finds out that you are a dragon and what power comes with killing one then most likely they will not hesitate to kill you or worse.  Anyways are you going hunting tonight?"  Seeing the affirmative of what he had already suspected, Pelton followed Rom up the ladder to the roof.  Stripping and throwing Pelton his robe that she had been wearing, Rom slowly started changing as she grew taller while her arms started lengthening.  Translucent membrane formed between her ever growing torso and her arms.  Finally, her milky white skin shifted through multiple colors and finished with a pale blue skin then a sky blue.

            After what seemed like hours, Rom stood in dragon form in all her glory.  Awed by the sight, Pelton almost missed that he was floating in the air until he settled on her back.  Summoning a rope to his side, he made a crude rein as Rommel's powerful wings swept the air aside and launched them into the frigid.  Sweeping through the air, the wind blasted him with force that would have knocked him over on the ground, but Pelton took little heed of such minute details and succumbed to the pure exhilaration that came with flying.  _I thought I would tell you in your words we are going at about two hundred and forty kilometers per hour.  Fortunately I can go faster but not without you being on better_, Rom communicated to him.

_            HIGHER!_  Pelton screamed back.  With one easy push Rommel sailed into a climb that made him leave his stomach behind, and yet she climbed higher and higher until the clouds started becoming dangerously close.  Then with a start she dived again, but this time with urgency that worried Pelton who had never flown into danger.

            Without warning, Rom pulled a tight turn to the left and barreled rolled.  _HOLD ON!  We are under attack!_  The cry came from the bow.  Clutching around the neck of Rommel, Pelton desperately searched for their aggressor.  When he saw it, though, Pelton's fear increased ten fold.  Flying high and diving with increasing speed flew a creature that looked related to a dragon yet would never be mistaken as one.  With a mouth that look like it had four lips and jagged ridges running the length of its torso and tail, the monstrosity flew with none of the grace of Rom yet flew with a deadly resolve.  _Damn it Rommel!  Fold your wings and free fall or we are both dead!_  With all the faith in her master and father, Rommel folded her wings and both Pelton and her started dropping with such acceleration that only gravity can provide.  The stalker cried out with a bone chilling screech and then pulled into a lazy turn and started climbing back into the sky.

            Breaking her fall and somehow making it graceful, Rommel started back towards the school with a silence that seemed to speak loudly in such a silent, innocent section of the earth.  Slowly landing on the tower, Rommel helped him to climb off her back.  _I will one-day show that Wyvern why his ancestors feared us for thousands of years.  I swear his unprovoked attack will not go un-avenged,_ Rommel purred with such rage that even a stout knight would have quivered.  _I am off to hunt!_  And with that Rom leaped off the tower and sailed off into the night leaving behind a silent, stunned audience.

            "Good luck and God speed.  You might vow that you will defeat your natural enemy and competitor in the sky, but I have a more serious vow.  No matter what happens you will not go alone against it.  That monster has attacked my daughter and will pay dearly for such actions."  Pelton called into the deaf night.


	10. Mage Magic and Pesky Girls

                                                                        From Pelton's Journal

_            Even though Christmas is approaching, I hate winter.  The cold weather has barely been tolerable and shows no sign of getting better on the contrary it seems to get worse.  Dumbledore seems to be getting disparate to teach me as fast as possible.  He seems to be getting more and more stressed, and I fear something big is bothering him.  After last year and the return of Voldemort, he seems to always be on the edge, and I have noticed that he has taken more secret trips and just as many secret meetings.  I have noticed also that lately Umbridge and him have become even more hostile towards each other.  This has created a teacher that has become harder and harder to please, but I think I know now why he wants to teach me.  I think he is teaching me these lessons so that I might be able to become a personal sword arm that he will be able to depend on in the coming conflict.  With this in mind I did not feel bad to inform him of the lessons that Harry Potter now is commencing in the school.  Fortunately, he stopped me from telling him since in his words "it is best I don't know so that I will not feel obligated to stop it," this made me think that he really wants the students prepared.  This scares be above all other realities since that means this might not be a quick war._

_            Rom has become even more independent and often hunts far into the night.  I am afraid that she means to fight that Wyvern alone.  Boy, will she be in for a shock.  I have begun to teach her all that I can of wizardry and hope that she will be able to embrace it as another means of furthering her personal battle because I have a feeling that Dumbledore and I will need her later.  Lacy and I have also become closer, and we often sit talking in the Great Hall and the Common Room.  I am finding it harder to spend much time away from her wanting to be around her more often then any other, but it is great having such a good friend._

_            Also lately I have been more often helping Muggle Studies classes with showing them how motors work, engines, and computers.  Lol, I find pure blood faces funny when they see the stuff muggles came up with that rival everything wizards can do.  The best was when I showed them a lightening rod pull a bolt of lightening from the sky on a cloudless day.  They had never realized that lightening could appear without clouds.  Even better was when the rod and the wire showed having nothing magical and also able to store and reuse that electricity._

_            Anyways, I have to go Dumbledore is taking me out for another lesson._

            The forest seemed bursting with activity at a much later time then normal.  Chilling wind swept leafless branches in his path trying to lead him away from the beaten path.  Temporarily blinded from Dumbledore's erect outline, Pelton struggled to follow as fast as possible.  This was made even more difficult since Dumbledore seemed determined to keep a fast pace that made it all but impossible to keep up with the headmaster.

            Finally coming to a clearing, Dumbledore stopped and faced the approaching Pelton.  Chilled to the bone, Pelton stopped to listen to Dumbledore's lecture.  "Long ago even before the Egyptians appeared around the Nile, mages and wizards were one I the same.  Both used elemental magic that needed neither wands nor staves.  Instead, they used magic inherit to all living being.  Since few had the strength to control such raw power, rulers started civilizations by using Mage Magic, as it is called now, to quell and frighten commoners into submission.  Hammurabi, Abraham, and the Scorpion King all were talented users yet used it for extremely different reasons.  Into this polarization of power a man named Theseus stepped forth.  Muggles record that he started the republican form of government in Athens, but in the wizarding world he is remembered as the "Father of Wizardry."  Following the defeat of Minos's Minotaur, Theseus tried and succeeded in storing the mage potential of the Minotaur into a sword and shield.  With these, he easily conquered Athens and presented the knowledge of "potential storage" to the masses to guard the Athenians from corrupt mage kings.  Even though not everyone could use this type of magic, storage allowed for more diverse magic users that guarded the interests of the common muggle.

            Since that time mages have been ridiculed, hated, and even hunted for their power, but a few still are able to retain their beliefs as well as their power.  These few actively hunt those who misuse the power and teach select students so that they are able to control the teaching of such destructive magic."  After stating this, Dumbledore's twinkling eyes dulled and seemed to see something in the past that Pelton decided he did not want to know.  Bowing his head, Dumbledore muttered, "'power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.'  Pelton, I can't stress how serious your task is ahead.  IF!  You ever used this for evil you would be hunted and immediately executed."

            "Is there a way for me to accomplish the task ahead without mage magic?"  Pelton shakingly inquired.  With increasing dread, he watched as Dumbledore slowly shook his head.  Slowly swallowing, Pelton straightened to full height and answered, "I will do whatever you need.  Count me in."

            At the mock salute Pelton launched, Dumbledore smiled, and his eyes returned to their normal twinkle.  To Pelton's wonder and delight, Dumbledore snapped his fingers creating a ball of flames in his hand.  "The essence of all magic is mage magic, but most humans are unable to channel it since human bodies are the weakest type of animal shell," looking at his fireball, Dumbledore chuckled and the ball disappeared into his hand.  "House Elves, Phoenix, Dragons, Pixies, and all other magic creatures use magic as we use wands.  Instead of channeling that energy into inanimate objects, they use themselves as wands creating such pure magic that most humans could not even fathom.  This is why Voldemort is frightened of me.  He knows that mage magic is the only counter to his sorcery and wizardry combination.  Now sit and clear your mind.  Good, try to think of yourself a wand or one of your electric wires."

            Trying to clear his mind, Pelton's mind instead began to run through memories of all the years of his life.  Thinking of his years as a typical new kid at a Georgia school and the difficulty adjusting to its unusual way towards outsiders especially "northerners."  Then his mind floated next to his first kiss, he could still feel her lips, and he saw the tons of girls that he had liked throughout the rest of his life.  He saw Rommel's birth and later transformation.  To his utter surprise, though, the last was that of a teary face of Lacy, as she seemed to be walking through the forest.  Grasping at that memory and trying to contemplate when this particular memory occurred since he could not remember seeing her walk through any forest.  Why would he think of her at this particular moment when he needed to clear his mind?  Trying to stop the flood, he at last opened his eyes so that he would not succumb to the torrent.  "Why am I unable to clear my mind Professor?"

            Winking at Pelton, he began to circle him "memory flooding is normal when you first start mage magic.  In fact, I would have been surprised if you had been able to do anything your first time.  I also would assume that you saw things that you fail to remember."  Smiling and failing to wait for a confirmation, Dumbledore continued with "these flashes are of either the future or even the present of those who will be associated with you.  Mind their images because you might find them useful."  Dumbledore seemed to be keeping something unsaid.

            Before his open mouth could form the question he badly wanted to ask, a familiar voice called out "Professor Dumbledore?  Where are you?"  Quickly standing up and looking to Dumbledore for an excuse to be out in the woods, Pelton was dismayed to find that he was also thunderstruck.  He had just decided on his story when Lacy walked around the bend in the trail.  Surprisingly, she was dressed in the same color robes that Pelton had seen her in earlier.  "Headmaster excuse me but Professor McGonagall asked me to find you.  She says that Fawke needs to talk to you.  I know it sounds confusing but she said you would understand."  Trying to become one with the bushes, Pelton failed in his attempt to hide from Lacy's wondering gaze.  She looked extraordinary in her new blue on black robes though it seemed at odds with her blond highlighted, sandy hair that fell randomly half way down her back.  When her hazel eyes finally found him, she started stuttering with an inquiry "Peeeltoon?  Whaaat are yoouu doooing here?"

            Trying not to snicker at Lacy's expression, Pelton began to explain that Dumbledore had been teaching him unarmed combat.  "Pelton asked me if I had ever ran into Martial Arts so I offered to teach him the little I had learned of Karate."  Turning away to hide his surprise, Pelton contemplated how often Dumbledore showed his incredible knowledge of muggle cultures and customs.  Lacy seemed to believe this lie and stepped aside to allow Dumbledore to pass.  Starting to follow, Pelton realized that she was waiting for him.  Oddly feeling extremely nerves and apprehensive, Pelton walked over to her.  

            Walking next to each other, they soon lost sight of Dumbledore.  Wondering what she could want to tell him, Pelton stole furtive looks at Lacy.  She walked with graceful measured steps.  Lacy seemed very interested in her feet and refused to meet his glances.  Under the brilliant sky, the forest's dark trees caused shadows to cast odd colors over Lacy's lantern lit face and body.  Looking her face over openingly this time, Pelton noticed she had rims around her eyes were he realized she must have been crying.  Mulling over what Dumbledore had said, a revelation swept upon Pelton to which made him sigh heavily.  "Lacy, why were you crying?"  He finally asked in a quiet voice.

            Lacy seemed taken aback by the question.  "I can't believe that you knew I was crying, but even more so I can't believe you would ask such an obvious question.  Ack, do NOT give me that blank look of yours.  All this times we have sat talking in the Great Hall and the Common Room you never thought I would find out did you?  Well, did you?  (Sobbing) I have seen your girl friend.  I wish you would have told me about her in the first place and saved me the trouble of thinking about something more between us.  You should have told me."

            Now completely and utterly dumbfounded, Pelton racked his memory for whom Lacy could have possibly mistaken as his girl friend.  Failing in his endeavor he finally inquired, "what are you talking about?  I don't have a girl friend in fact I have told you that before!"

            "Then who was that gorgeous oriental girl that you had your arm around last night?  Huh, I don't that you would have just put your arm around any girl.  (Innocently looking at Pelton) then again I could have seen someone else.  I am not sure anymore I am so confused.  You tell me that you have never had a girl friend and yet I thought I have seen you with a girl."  She started crying openingly before Pelton that made him extremely uneasy.  Putting an arm around her and holding her tight he tried to remember the day before and whom he had been with at the time.

            Suddenly the word "oriental" popped again into his mind, and he started laughing heartily before he realized that it might be an enormously bad idea.  Lacy began trying to break his grip around her.  Loosing his grip, he refused to let her go though.  "Listen, the girl you saw me with is not what you think in fact there is something about her you do not know."  Thinking quickly, Pelton decided that he would have to show her for her ever to believe him.

            Almost dragging Lacy up to the tower and up to his attic, the walked in silence that seemed to grow deeper and deeper.  Helping Lacy into the attic, Pelton called out for Rommel to show herself.  Rom appeared from the roof and was dressed in barrowed robes that meant that she had just been hunting.  Approaching Rom, he came within a few feet of her and whispered "show her your true form, please Rom.  I hardly could hope for her to believe me any other way."  Hauntingly Rommel climbed back up the latter and stripped on the roof.  With a snort of distain towards the obviously jealous Lacy, Rom's arms began to stretch, and her body lengthened while ridges formed on her spine and head.  Failing in his attempt to fight his giggle fit when he looked at Lacy's face, Pelton knew that he had finally won his argument with her.  "You see Lacy?  Rom is not a girl friend but more like my daughter or sister.  And Rommel if you show any more disgust towards Lacy here, I will have to beat you up," this led to Rom bellowing a quick quaffed and returning to human form.

            After throwing on the robe again, Rommel walked up to Lacy and offered her a handshake.  "Excuse me for my hostility to you.  I had a hard time with you forcing Pelton to prove himself."  Smiling back, Lacy shook Rom's hand.  For the next several hours Rom and Lacy became instant best friends that made Pelton very uneasy.  Now instead of having to deal with them independently he had to deal with them in league.

            Pelton realized with a smile that he would one day rue his part in creating that friendship.


	11. Flight of Dumbledore

            For several weeks after Lacy's discovery of Rommel true identity, Pelton, Lacy, and Rom hardly ever parted ways.  Now that Lacy and Pelton were dating, his life seemed to be full of girls though he found that he loved it that way.  Upcoming N.E.W.T.s could not faze him anymore than everyday homework.  Almost their whole time was now spent exploring the grounds of Hogwarts while avoiding Professor Umbridge's stern eyes.  At night, they spent hours teaching Rom the rudiments of wizard magic as well as honing her natural mage magic.  Long into the night they disintegrated all sorts of old objects which house elves gave them.  It was after one of these exercises that Pelton and Rom were surprised by an unexpected visitor in the tower.

            Dumbledore appeared in the attic out of thin air, with an expression of bemused resignation, holding the leg of Fawke.  _Fortunately_, thought Pelton, _Rom was on the roof._  "Pelton!  I need to barrow your dragon now!"  His voice displayed the situation better than any explanation.  From Dumbledore's expression, Pelton knew that Umbridge had thrown Dumbledore out.  When Pelton still failed to answer, Dumbledore continued with "listen the DA has been discovered.  I have taken the fall for Harry and I am now on the run.  So please allow me the use of your dragon so I will be able to leave Fawke to tend to my office."  Fawke gave a musical note at Dumbledore's mention of him and disapparated with pop of fire.  Trying to understand the revelation that Dumbledore knew of Rom.  "Ah!  There you are!  I was wondering if I could barrow you for a flight to London?"  A bemused Rom had just climbed down into the attic in her human form.  With less than a moments pause Rom agreed and transformed into a dragon.

            "Sir?  What is going on?  Do you want me to come with you and help you on whatever errand you are on?"  After leaping on Rom's back with less effort than Pelton would have expected from such an old man, he contemplated his question and finally sadly shook his head.  "No Pelton, even though I would want nothing more than to have a companion on this trip, I need you to say behind."  Leaning as far forward as he could in Rom's settle he quietly continued, "Listen Lacy has a secret she is hiding from you, but you in the time of need she will use it to help you.  She is the one of the many keys that will help defeat Voldemort.  Watch after her I beg of you.  But I want you to say here for the sole purpose of using your new skills to watch after Harry.  Mr. Potter is the biggest and most powerful key in our arsenal, and I am afraid that we might have a Death Eater in our mists.  Protect Harry and Lacy at all costs I am depending on you!"  With inaudible whisper to Rom, they both disappeared with a pop.  Looking at the now empty space, Pelton realized that Rom had just disapparated from inside Hogwarts which was suppose to be impossible.

            This stunning revelation failed to hold his attention for long since John Middletown decided at that moment to come and join him.  "Hey man, you ok?"  John asked as he heaved himself into Pelton's desk chair.  Sitting down on his bed, Pelton shook his head then laid back onto his bed.  "Suit yourself.  I was wondering if you know anything about the new girl here?  Lacy said her name is Rommel.  Are you sure you are ok?"  John inquired at the sudden movement of Pelton to a sitting position.

            "You know Rommel?  Great, this is not what I needed to know."  Pelton ignored John inquisitive looks as he began to pace the octagon attic.  "Look, there are things about Rom you don't know about.  I will not step in your way, but I want you to be careful, ok?"

            "Ha!  You don't know everything about Lacy either so we are even.  Thanks though.  I did not want to fight over Rom with you.  Lacy told me I had to discuss this with you first, or I would have asked her to Valentine's Day at Hogsmeade.  Well I have to go, but try not to have a heart-attack over this."  After his jest John left the room with an air of finally getting something hard out of the way.

[Sorry for the shortness of the chapter.  I was originally going to make it apart of the next chapter but I have decided against it since the other one will be long enough.]


	12. Wyverns

            A cry broke the silence.

            Though the distance was great, Pelton awoke knowing Rommel was being attacked.  Completely awake in second, he sat wondering at this feeling.  Paranoia?  He could not tell.  The frigid air blew in with out regard to the pondering young man.  Walking to the window, Pelton tried to seek out his friend and companion who had left two days before but failed to see or hear anymore.

            With an inaudible sound, the cry again of one ambushed pierced the night.  Without any need for an explanation, Pelton realized that he was receiving a distress call from Rom.  Realizing within nanoseconds that the wyvern would have been involved.  Grabbing his Cleansweep 2000 and his staff, Pelton sought an idea for taking down a wyvern.  Stunning Spells would pounce off, and projectile spells would be like tennis balls.  As he was about to leave the attic for the roof, a scathingly brilliant idea struck him.

            The icy air tore passed him as he pushed his broom to its limits.  Hardly as good of a flier as Harry Potter or other Quidditch players, Pelton was competent with a broom as well as being an aced at combat in air, from too many computer games.  Within a few minutes of leaving Gryffindor castle, he saw two shapes silhouetted by the full moon.  Fire blasted the area striking the other shape while the other struck with its claws.  _Rom please dive now!  Trust me._  Pelton felt that Rom had gotten the message as one of the shapes barrel-rolled and dived.  Since the wyvern followed, he angled his broom to create a hypotenuse.  The shapes became larger and larger as they flew through the clouds and the bright stars disappeared behind nebulous water.  Squinting against the biting wind, Pelton desperately tried to time his attack.

            With instincts born of hardcore gaming and fighting, Pelton pulled hard on his broom and brought himself parallel as well as slightly ahead of the wyvern wings.  Calmly Pelton grabbed the object belted to his back and slowly brought it to bear.  Flashes appeared before blinding him temporarily.  The 5.45mm bullets soared through the air at about a third the speed of sound tearing in the wyvern's wings with such force, that strips of membrane wings sheared off.  With a cry of anger the wyvern banked with surprising speed for its size.  Teeth narrowly missed Pelton as he rolled away from the wings then cutting toward the wyvern got inside its turn.

            Throwing away the empty clip, Pelton loaded another one that tore holes into the other wing.  Now seemly blinded with rage the wyvern tried in vain to swat the annoying and persistent fly.  Knowing that he only had two clips left for his AK-47, Pelton closed within touch distance of the scaly skin and blasted the connections to both wings.  With a scream, the wyvern fell.  "CRACK!"  the forgotten tail smashed his Cleansweep snapping it like a twig.  Following twenty feet he crashed into the forest that fortunately broke the fall though still knocking the wind out of him.

            After counting the stars in the sky for what seemed like an eternity, Pelton sat up to see the damage he had caused.  He quickly scooped up his staff and gun while leaving his now broken broom.  Looking to his left he noticed Rom unconscious several meters away.  Finally, he heard through the thunder of the storm above the heavy breathing of a trapped animal, one that he knew now all too well.

            Waling slowly but steadily, Pelton approached his grounded enemy.  The Wyvern's tail thrashed with such fury that the crouching monster looked more like a cornered cobra.  Birds became silent as the trees stood still and seemed to watch the coming fight; only a ball of tumbleweed was missing from this old Western duel.  Positioning himself between Rommel and the Wyvern, Pelton entered the street in front of the saloon.  He finally dropped his ammo less gun and drew his staff returning to the cold and damp reality of the stormy Forbidden Forest.  Lightening cracked and splintered above them while the rain seceed its fall.  The eerie silence was now complete, and with the board set both waited for the first move.

            Without warning, the Wyvern spat at Pelton.  Barely able to roll in time, he paused long enough to notice the spit ate through the tree near him.  It was acid!  Fear gripped Pelton's heart as he narrowly dodged a decapitating tail sweep.  "Stupefy!"  yelled Pelton in vain knowing the spell was too weak.  Like a Chess king running from his opponents queen, Pelton dodge left and right firing random spells when he thought of them.  All seemed to bounce harmlessly off the Wyvern's nearly impenetrable hide.  Ducking behind a tree, Pelton sorted through his options.

            Since his back was against the tree, Pelton failed to see the tail sweeping toward him.  _Smash!_  Pelton left the ground and was launched through the hail of splinters of his destroyed bulwark.  Slamming into the ground, Pelton rolled to a stop.  He franticly searched for his staff, but before he could grab it an arrowed tail crashed between them.  Following on his ass, he felt vulnerable without his staff.

            The Wyvern approached Pelton and looked down upon him.  Fighting the fear that assaulted him, he decided death was now unavoidable, and he would face it as a man.  When he came to this realization, he felt his warm and eerie anger descend upon him.  Standing up, a memory demanded attention of when he first put his glasses on.  _Who invented trifocals?_  Benjamin Franklin, who also invented lightening rods.  Those are metal rods that attract lightening by using Static Point Discharge and then grounds them.  _I am a lightening rod!_  _My head is highly negative!_  Fingers of Lightening began striking Pelton.  Ben was also famous for his kite experiment where he stored static electricity from a bolt of lightning in a glass jar.  _I am a glass jar on the end of a lightning rod!_  He felt energy warm his blood as electricity arced between his fingers.  _Who invented glasses?_  The Chinese, who also invented gunpowder, which they gave to the Europeans.  The British used this to conquer the Chinese using the infamous Brown Bess a type of musket.  _I am a musket, loaded and ready for war!_  _The lighter is hitting the gunpowder.  The pressure is pressing against the bullet!_  On cue, lightning shot from Pelton as if from the barrel of a gun.

            The Wyvern saw only oblivion from a foe he thought defeated.  After knocking Pelton on the ground, the wyvern had approached slowly and cautiously, but it never dreamed Pelton would attack again.  _Crack!_  Striking with the force of a sledgehammer, the lightning struck the wyvern's hide with temperatures exceeding a thousand Kelvin.  The bolt pierced the hide as a knife through warm butter.  Afterwards, Pelton would always remember the heart-retching cry of the wyvern's death scream.  With the death of the Wyvern, Pelton finally collapsed as he realized the strength used for the spell.  Lying on the ground, he chortled as he discovered that he had used mage magic.  _Wow, Dumbledore could not teach me.  I had to teach myself."_  This thought, his last, made him smile as the darkness engulfed him.

            Coming from the darkness that had engulfed Pelton, Rommel awoke with suddenness as magic currents began flowing into the earth.  She knew now that Pelton had defeated the wyvern, and its magic was now dissipating into the void.  Sadness gripped her as she thought of the unfortunate creature that was trying to kill its cousin in magic.  _If only he knew the consequences then maybe he would not have sought for powers from others of its kind._  Coming out of her deep thought, Rom stepped walked to the cave hidden nearby.  She looked into the glittering room as night became day as the major fault of dragons and wyverns swept upon her.  


	13. Dragon's Home

            He stirred.

            Without haste, Pelton's mind returned to the plane of consciousness.  After several attempts, he sat up to be rewarded by dizziness that made him lay back again.  Noticing that he was in his room, Pelton tried to discern why his room seemed extremely odd to him.

            Finally Pelton purposely sat up and stretched a foot out.  Slowly and again with purpose Pelton made his way to the showers nearby, avoiding students with usual ease.  By the time the water hit his face, the night's events unfolded in his mind.  Mind clear though still physically weak, Pelton proceeded to dress for class later as well as dinner.  Rommel was absent but for the last month this had not been unusual.

            Throughout the day, Pelton walked with his head in the clouds and seemed to notice very little around him.  After confronting Professor McGonigal- who was none too pleased at him- about missing Transfiguration, he found himself walking in the East Wing when he heard voices ahead.  "Oh, this is going to make heard really mad!  I wish I could see her ugly face when she discovers this.  Right George?"  He heard the affirmative from a similar voice nearby while a soft girlish giggle followed.  Curious he rounded the corner to find the Weasely twins and Ginny before him.  Nearly jumping, Ginny yelped.

            Shaking his head, Pelton confronted them by saying "I thought you two had quit so that you could study.  So what are you going to do this time?  And why are you with them Ginny since I don't think you want to end your career this early."  The twins who had known him since coming to Hogwarts relaxed realizing they were not caught.  Ginny, though, looked venomous after Pelton's comment about her and looked ready to bite.  Laughing Pelton began talking to them about how to improve on their design that soon created a swamp that filled the hall.  Soon voices could be heard approaching and he realized that Ginny would be caught.  "Damn!"  grabbing Ginny around the waist he tried to remember books that involved anti-detection.  Holding his breath, he watched as students rounded the corner.  To everyone's horror, Umbridge and Filch came from both sides before Fred and George could run though she walked past Pelton and Ginny without noticing as did all the other students.  When this happened, Ginny stopped struggling when she realized that he had prevented her from being involved.  Pelton dropped his spell, feeling satisfied at using mage magic again, when the crowds attention was completely on the twins. 

            Staring in awe as the twins made their escape, Pelton noticed a familiar face in the crowd trying to catch his eye.  The figure stood among the other students but was completely covered by a robe.  Carefully avoiding notice from Umbridge, he waltzed his way through the crowd and confronted Rom.  Before he could speak she began jogging away from the scene.  Stunned he raced after her while the commotion faded behind him.  Soon he found her in a classroom with John and Lacy.  Cautiously walking in, Rom began to speak softly "Pelton and myself defeated a wyvern several days ago after brutal fighting, but what he does not know is that dragons and wyverns share similar tastes in home design."  Gasping, recognition dawned on Pelton about where Rom had been.  "Now I am going to share it with you!"  before anyone could react she grabbed a hold of John and Lacy who without thought grabbed Pelton.  With a slight whooshing noise, they apparated to a huge cavernous room.  Pelton stared in amazement as the room glittered with eerie light.  He quickly realized that the cavern was both underground and not natural.  Pacing around the room, he saw gold and silver as well as diamonds and emeralds.  Armor piled next to swords with spears and hauberks as tall as small trees.  He then saw Rom approaching him with a silk bag slung over her slim shoulders.  "Pelton, for the last several days I have been away while you have recovered so that I could make you a gift worth saving my life.  I know that if you had let me die you would have gotten so much power yet you let me leave.  I cannot think of a way to ever show my appreciation for that."

            Taken aback by her statement he tried to find words to say.  Finally, he choked out "Rom you are like my daughter and best friend I would never let you die, and what is this nonsense about getting power by killing you?"  Obvious to him, he confused her since she gave him an odd look.

            "I thought since you knew so much about dragons that you would have know that if a dragon dies that the killer gets tremendous power as well as anyone nearby the scene.  If you had let the wyvern kill me, you would have gotten a power boast that you cannot imagine."  Again seeing his confusion she continued, "dragons are the most powerful mage magic holders known.  When a dragon is born or dies magic, as we know it, is added and subtracted from a "potential well" as some call it.  Think of it this way, the reason that mage magic and wand users have lost as much power as they have in the last couple thousand years is since dragons are being hunted down and less births compensate.  So, when a dragon dies that potential has to go somewhere so it dissipates into the surrounding over hundreds of years.  So anyone near a dragon's death absorbs that magic and receives it for hundreds of years.  That is why dragons were hunted down the wizards then only saw they got extra power even though overall the hurt magic in the long run, but humans don't see that they only see the immediate results."  Tears began to roll down her chin, and Pelton stepped forward and held her while she continued to cry on his shoulder.

            After several minutes of silence, Rom stepped back and opened the silk bag.  From within she pulled out a full suit of armor- complete with greaves and gauntlets- with a matching shield.  Both seemed to be fashioned from fish scales though if it was from a fish Pelton did not want to meet that fish in the water.  The scales were the size of plates and thick enough to seemingly stop a nuclear blast.  Even with the thickness and size, about two feet in radius, the shield was less then a few pounds.  The armor fit him perfectly and he still was able to jump and run with little hindrance from the armor.  "I made it from the scales of the dead wyvern.  It will protect you from physical and magical harm.  I figured if you practiced you could wield your staff with one hand instead of finding a sword.  Oh!"  whirling around she grabbed another object from the bag.  Quickly she placed a pair of goggles over his glasses and over them a helmet shaped like a dragon's skull with horns short wings on both sides and a plume reminiscent of the Roman Centurion helm.  "The helmet belonged to the last great dragon rider, he died in the early Middle Ages fighting against the Visigoths in the Alps so that Rome would be saved.  The helmet is magically charmed to give fit around the goggles but provide perfect peripheral vision."

            Feeling stronger with the armor on then any other time ever, Pelton considered his gift and hugged Rom.  "What did you do with the rest of the body?" inquired Pelton as he thought of the massive wyvern.

            "Well, I am in the process of grinding his bone for storage.  Later, I can use that for potions.  The other scales I made another suit for…uh...lets say another person."  Hearing his laugh Rom blushed and tried to hide her face which made him laugh even more.  Looking up she finally smiled knowing she could not avoid Pelton knowing her feelings.  After calling Lacy and John from their survey of the cavern she began explaining her reasons for the argent summon.  "I have to leave for a meeting with some of the greatest of my kind, what is left of them, to try to bring them to Dumbledore's side.  They have little love for the ministry but have just as little love for all humans.  Most live amongst humans because they would die if caught flying by muggle aircraft.  When I flew Dumbledore away he asked me to make sure that Voldemort did not summon dragons to his side for the destruct on both wizards and muggles would be immense.  For this, I have to leave you even though events are unfolding that will harm many so that I might protect even more.  I hope John will come with me so that he may see me for who I am, but Pelton you must stay here and protect Harry Potter.  Dumbledore told me the reason for his importance and cautions that a Death Eater resides at Hogwarts that hopes to deliver Harry to Voldemort."  Coming forward to Lacy, Rom whispered further remarks that both boys missed.  When she pulled away, Lacy's face was crimson and she chuckled uncontrollably.  With this, Lacy transformed into her true self to the surprise of John.  Failing to mask his awe at the sight, he listened to the others laughing.

            Rommel blue head dipped to eye level with John.  Her icy blue eyes stared into his with longing and hope.  They stared at each other for what seemed an eternity before John's head slowly as if in a dream touched Rommel's face and then hugged her.  Within minutes he sat on her back without word still completely shocked by the turn of events.  With a sigh of content-ness, she launched into the air and disappeared.

            "Well, she forgot that to bring us home."  Lacy looked at Pelton's mock severe face and started laughing again.  Smiling, Pelton put an arm around her waist and stated, "well it is near night and we might as well sleep here where it is warm."  Stopping she looked longingly into his eyes and softly brought their lips together.  Snaking his free arm around the back of her neck, they stood there for several seconds kissing each other.  Walking to the bed that Rom had been using for the last few days they fell asleep together.  Surprisingly to both was the fact that they were content just lie there together unclothed with no need for sex.  _I have finally felt complete now I can die in peace.  How can I ever feel scared knowing I am complete,_ Pelton contemplated as he fell asleep.


	14. Dumbledore's Agent

Unable to wipe his silly smile from his face, Pelton gave in to his perpetual bliss that seemed to have become the norm. Even though Professor Umbridge would have disapproved with their actions, Lacy and him had spent nearly every night in each other's comfort. An idea kept silent by her roommates (including Hermione who had become extremely rebellious) who found it funny. With Dumbledore gone and McGonagall in the hospital, Lacy was the only thing that kept Pelton from pulling a Weasley.  
After a completing History of Magic N.E.W.T., Pelton walked the halls with a rare boyuent step. So joyful after the simplicity of the exam, he almost missed the soft sound of shouting emitting from a nearby room. He was going to pass it off as another breakdown of a student until he noticed Ginny Weasley and another girl whom he failed to recognize sneak into an empty classroom. Befuddled, Pelton swung around a corner where he made himself invisible. Trying not to ram into pedestrians, he returned to the door to find Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and the other girl walking with confidence down the hall. A chilling sensation crept down his spine as he realized that something bad was about to happen. Trotting to catch up, Pelton continued to follow the group even when Harry and Ron ran towards Gryffindor tower knowing that most likely gathering items for trouble.  
As he expected, Harry soon returned to Hermione as Ginny and the other girl- he heard them call her Luna- started keeping students away from approaching Umbridge's office. Hustling to get into the office before Harry approached, Pelton easily unlocked the door and crept in where he sat and waited. Soon after, the door to the office opened with no hand in sight. Seemingly from thin air, Harry and Hermione appeared, and Harry ran to the fireplace where he stuck his head in with a touch of flue powder. Pelton missed the name called by Harry as he noticed that their seemed to be something wrong with the office. Trying to shift though the odd feelings he was having, Pelton decided he would warn Hermione when the door exploded. Spells flew inward barely missing Hermione as she dived over the desk. Before she could stand, a figure grabbed her roughly after racing from the door. Draco Malfoy held tightly to her to the point on looking pleasured by it, but soon he handed her to a Slytherin girl that entered. "Very good, very good I see that we caught all of them this time. Ahhhh! He is still in the fireplace," croaked Umbridge as she entered into the room followed by the struggling conspirators though Neville was with them.  
After pulling Harry out of the fire, Umbridge began to ferociously interrogating him about to whom he had been communicating with in the fire. "Draco—fetch Professor Snape" cried in a silky sweet voice. Soon enough the potions teacher appeared and began arguing with the Headmistress about making a Veritaserum, truth, potion. Again Pelton missed Harry's comment while studying the situation. All he heard was Snape's rebuttal to Umbridge and Harry: "I have no idea. Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage," followed by his departure.  
Barely keeping from gasping, he watch as Umbridge began to incant the Cruciatus Curse. "NO!" A desperate Hermione yelled. "No-Harry-Harry, we'll have to tell her!" Even though she seemed to be crying, Pelton failed to see any wetness around her eyes. Trying to find a way to free the wand-less Gryffindors, Pelton missed the rubbish-since if Dumbledore had a weapon at Hogwarts, Pelton would know- that streamed from Hermione, but Umbridge seemed delighted to hear what she was saying. Soon Umbridge marched Harry and Hermione to her office door. Realizing he had missed an opportunity to escape, Pelton turned his attention back to his remaining four peers.  
"Filthy Muckblood and that damn ministry women. She wants something that is not there. Well at least I can deal with you four!" Draco announced to the terrified Gryffindors. When Draco walked close to Ron, Pelton seized the chance to trip Draco who smashed into Warrington. Freed Ron threw himself into the girl holding Ginny.  
Noticing the pandemonium complete, Pelton dashed through the door while the others were declining-for reasons of being preoccupied-to notice and hurried after Snape. Running full tilt down the dungeon stairs, he hoped Snape was not as unhelpful as before. He was hoping that Dumbledore's faith in Severus Snape could be counted on when it came to Harry since their animosity was extreme. Even though completely visible now, Professor Snape failed to greet Pelton as he entered. Snape seemed to be in deep conversation with mirror. As he approached the voices in the mirror became familiar.  
"Very good, Severus, very good. Remus and Sirius are on their way with a team to deal with the situation. Unfortunately, I hope it is not to late. You failed me by not teaching Harry even with his intrusion, but as it is my fault too I can hardly hold it against you. I need you to look for Harry to make sure that if he is still at the school that he does nothing rash. My agent will take over with following them to the ministry. Stop snooping behind him Pelton and come to the mirror." Professor Snape whirled around in anger at the intrusion, but Pelton ignored him and approached the mirror where the former Headmaster's face floated with a big smile. "Pelton, I need you to apparate to the ministry and help the Order of the Phoenix team past the Death Eaters there. Tell them that I am on my way, but have to deal with some other issues first. Even with Harry's rash mistake, I think I can turn this to our advantage, but I need someone there on site that can hold Voldemort from getting the weapon he seeks." Smiling sadly, Dumbledore started to turn to leave.  
"Professor how am to apparate to the ministry? Hogwarts has the protection spell around it."  
Dumbledore stared into Pelton's eyes for a few seconds before answering. "You watched Rommel apparate from Hogwart's grounds and you ask me that question. Pelton trust in yourself. You have already killed a Wyvern with mage magic! That is saying a lot. Now go! Before all is lost." Pelton was still pondering on the message when Dumbledore's face disappeared. So lost in thought, he did not know that Snape was gone nor that Dumbledore knew about the Wyvern's death.  
Walking to the dungeon's door, he began to try and find the inner peace that for him mage magic lurked. Drawing on it he was assailed by an image of his apparation test. During his first successful time, it had reminded him of Star Trek and the transporter. This brought a smile to his face as he disappeared with his room as his target. 


	15. Dragon Sanctuary and Hogwart's Traitor

A cracking sound split the still night.  
Pelton savored a night that ignorant of an innocent man's death. That was shameless of wrongs that now befell many humans every second. No, instead it rustled with only the activity of creatures that perpetually disturbed the night. Yet, unperturbed it continued to dance for even the dance was a waltz of death. For even the night will end and the sun will rise heralding the morning, but for some the morning would arrive too late.  
  
Rom approached a cave that housed an ancient race, a race nearly as old as night itself, a race as uninterested by the world of humans as the night. Yet, Rom knew that she had to try and convince them to change. Before she would enter, she was challenged by a booming voice of a male dragon. Answering, Rom hastened to enter to avoid confrontation. She ignored the alarm sounded while confidently strutted before several gigantic leviathans.  
"A Swedish Dwarf, ages have passed since your kind have come," a bemused, arrogant male chortled. "Why has our little cousin visited?" the male mocked.  
Silence Tyrdadealla. To long has your belly fattened on your brothers. I have the knowledge of my ancestors, and the strength of a defeated Wyvern. Approach! And I will kill you. Listen, I implore you for I bring regards from a man who asks a request and gives warning." Many of the gathered dragons shuffled in surprise. Most had been too young to remember when the dragons were beaten and banished from Earth save three. Tyrdadealla, once the proud leader of Dragon Wing Gold, fidgeted from Rom's insult yet was intrigued by her defiance. As leader of the Dragon Council, he could not attack without declaring a duel, but had often used this to regain his faltering strength. His massive and nearly impenetrable red plated scales moved with every breath as his multicolored tail gently swung from side to side.  
Alexandra, a beautiful white but tiny- only 20 feet in wing span- dragon, studied the new arrival. "My cousin, I sense you speak of the human Albus Dumbledore. I see surprise! We have heard of him as well. I hear he is a man of integrity, but he is still human. Your kind has been among humans so long you forget that little importance of their woes concern us. I still remember our kind slaughtered by then and their greed for power. As young as you are, you never experienced this." She finished as her pale blue ridges flattened at the memories. Alex, as most called her, had been a young council member at the time. She was the only one that survived the purge.  
"You are wrong, Alex. My kind has long past their memories to their children. Because of this, I remember my parents success at helping you and others escape as well as their decision to remain and help our cousins who were unable to leave. Ramadra and Telthandar helped save them from destruction but led them slavery. They gave their lives for you and all others!" Her declaration was met with an uproar of denials. The two Swedish Dwarfs were heroes to all dragons, but they had left no known children.  
Finally, though, a third voice spoke, the oldest dragon ever. "She speaks the truth. I was a childhood friend with her parents. She is exactly like them. Even her abrupt nature speaks of them. As daughter to them we owe her our attention for only dire warnings would she bring before us." The aged female voice cracked then fell silent. Athena had been worshiped in her youth by the Greeks, but had disappeared until the migration of the dragons. Since then she had helped her kind survive even though she mourned he lose of her friends. The last of her race, the Mediterranean War dragon, she was without consort and childless but revered above all others. Her testimony sealed Rom's mission.  
"I Rommel, human named and human raised, have come to tell you..."  
  
Breathing deeply, Pelton fought his numbing weariness. Even after the fighting for the day, he knew that one more job still needed to be fulfilled. Dumbledore and Pelton had both agreed that Voldemort most have known when Harry and his group had left Hogwarts earlier that night. Therefore, Hogwarts had a traitor that told him. If the traitor would shown himself that night was debatable, but Pelton needed to be there to insure that if the traitor did appear Harry was save with Dumbledore still cleaning up at the Ministry.  
Ignoring his growling stomach, Pelton continued watching the hall completely invisible. The only sounds that floated down the halls though were the snores of the portraits. Though he could feel the tension that something was soon going to happen and that he was soon going to exit the quiet before the storm.  
A shuffling noise was all that heard before a figure came out from under an invisibility cloak. The figure, who was cloaked in a robe that looked like a Death Eater's robe, slowly approached the silent and still forms of the Headmaster's gargoyles. "Alohomora!" cried the figure in a distinctly male voice but nothing happened. Swearing, the figure began pacing. Before Pelton could react, the man whispered a spell that started a grinding noise behind the statues while the stairs to the headmaster's office appeared.  
Jumping forward swiftly, Pelton fired a wild stunner. Both of the men found themselves rolling on the ground within several feet from each other. Without conscious though he rolled again to and saw a red stunner contact with the ground where he should have been. Standing fully upright, Pelton wildly swung his staff sending the figure scurrying. Before he could see who was behind the mask, Pelton felt a jolt that sent him flying forward. His last conscious thought was about how stupid he was...  
  
Shortly after he came to, Pelton saw the smug face of Roger before him. "Did you think I was dumb enough to try and open that door with you stalking around here? Ha! Well, at least Draco did his job. Though he will never know what happened since he was under the Imperius Curse." The gloating Roger stated without any remorse. Looking to his right, Pelton saw the body of Harry's enemy laying face down knocked out cold. "And to think that he is related to me. Filthy, son of a whore and his dad are not much better. Oh well I don't have to worry about him anymore thanks to your Order of the Phoenix!" Slowly, he moved around Pelton until he stood above Pelton's feet. He pointed his wand at Pelton's chest and hissing said "I have waited for this moment for months now all I can say is see you in hell. Avada Ked...Arggg."  
His wand went sailing from him as Pelton felt the bonds around his hands disappear. Before him stood Professor Trelawney though she did not look correct. Nothing in the way she stood seemed correct. Her posture was erect and defiant, and her face showed great disgust toward Roger.  
Without warning, Roger kicked out knocking Trelawney backwards. Acting quickly, Pelton tackled him. Both began scrambling for their respective weapons. Grabbing his staff, Pelton rolled instinctively in time to see Trelawney jumping up and pointing her wand at Roger. Unfortunately, it was to late. "AVADA KEDAVRA!" Pelton watch in horror as the green jet flew into the teacher. She was lifted off her feet completely enshrouded by the spectacle. To complete his horror, though, the face and form of Trelawney began to shift and change.  
Lacy hit the ground and did not stir. "NOOOO" Throwing himself behind the swing of his staff, Pelton yelled in anguish. Catching himself after Roger dodged his attack, he faked a back-jab while twirling and swung to the side. Again, Roger barely dodged but missed on his return spell. Pelton fired a stunner to Roger's right and jab towards his left. Unfortunately Roger had anticipated this and fell forward. "EXPELLARUMUS!" Pelton was thrown backwards hard against the wall.  
Through his hazy vision, Pelton watched Roger approach. "Now I will end this!" He screamed. Roger lifted his wand and green sparks began to fly from the end. Pelton acted without hesitation. Channeling into the part he had always called the Irish in him, Pelton grabbed the strings of Mage Magic and threw it with all the strength he could muster. The expression of Roger's face was priceless as he saw the magic hit him. Unfortunately, the raw magic did not leave anything behind as Roger was completely incinerated.  
Pushing the terrible events away, he crawled over to Lacy's side. Tearing free flowing down his face, he grabbed her hand and felt it. Memories of walking around Hogwarts with her and the times in his room came rushing to him. Then the memory of her seeing Rom brought a smile to his face, which was soon replaced but that of when they had been in Rom's cave. "I will always love you. And thanks you for saving my life, and may you now have peace with Roger's death. Go may the sun be to your face and the wind at your back!" As Pelton whispered the old sailors wish, he noticed that for a corpse her hands were warm. Feeling her stomach he noticed that she was breathing though lightly. Nonplussed about how this could have happened, he noticed something odd about the feel of her shirt. He lifted it up to discover something that made him began to laugh.  
His last thought as he slipped into unconsciousness was that little bitch stole my armor. 


	16. Not Home Sweet Home

The dawn broke.  
Pelton sat outside the main door to Hogwarts thinking about the beauty of it. Nothing would ever beat the mornings in South to him, but he could still appreciate England's dawn. Without knowledge about what the day held, creatures hurried about for usual morning preparations. Unfortunately for the animals, the riot began.  
Students hurried out from all direction on to the grounds. Giggling girls with their respective guys and pets crying for attention. Trying not to think of the upcoming farewell, Pelton peeked over at Lacy and made a face at her while she laughed. After the near killing curse, she continued to look pathetic with her muscle spasms at random times and the look of constant pain. Madam Pomfrey claimed that the effects of the curse would wear off in a couple of months, but she had not sounded hopeful. Still she smiled often and seemed truly happy to be alive even with the horrible pain. Pelton on the other hand only pain was stiffness from the constant fighting of that night.  
"I know you have been wondering why I looked like Professor Trelawney." Lacy had a grim face and seemed to be unsure what to say next. With his complete attention on her, Pelton only nodded. "I am a Metamorphmagus and I figured that if I looked like a teacher then my chances of being stopped by Filch was less anyway that is the secret I have been keeping this whole time. I hope you can forgive me." Lacy looked fearfully at Pelton waiting his answer.  
Pelton desperately tried to keep a straight face as he said "I don't know if that was the only thing you had done I might have been able to forgive you but..." Pelton had to try even harder as Lacy became increasingly more downtrodden. "I mean how can I forgive you for stealing my armor?" With no hope keeping a straight face Pelton guffawed, and Lacy's eyes flickered, as she acted mock angry before joining in the laugh. After the train ride that seemed to be too short, Lacy left with her family for France, and Pelton apparated home.  
Pelton arrived at home during the early morning of Tennessee since Eastern Time is several hours behind England. Saddened by the loss of Lacy, Pelton entered his house to the barking of his dog who, being a protective, checked to make sure that to make sure the family would be safe. "Snoopy!" Pelton cried with excitement and scooped up his dog and hugged him tight. Within moments, he was embracing his parents.  
Oddly, though, after several days home, Pelton soon realized that something was missing. For lack of a reason, Pelton pondered most of his time home the difference of the world around him. The air in the morning failed to comfort and refresh him as before nor did the sun invigorate him. Extremely peeved, he began to practice Martial Arts at a nearby institution. Even this, unfortunately, failed to take his mind off the feeling.  
  
The parched land around the mountain sanctuary seemed inhospitable to any form of living, but most dragons loved it. Flowing lava and acidic lakes helped keep the remains of the proud creatures safe from invasion as well as acted as baths. Rich with minerals such as gold and platinum, the world held abundant wealth for the dragons to horde to wet their appetite for treasure. Also the polar ice on the world-that made Antarctica look mild-appeased the white and blue dragons need for frigid water and snow. No human or centaur would ever want such a horrible place, but all dragons kept its location secret anyways.  
Rommel studied the new home of the dragons with disgust. Her memories of the homes before the purge swarmed her. Diving into the cold water, a whitish dragon appeared with a several seals clutched in his mouth. Elephants dashing a crossed a savanna in hot pursuit by a bright yellow stripped red dragon. A peaceful gold helping humans move stone in China to form the later Great Wall. Nothing on Sanctuary could ever come to compare with the beauty the dragons once helped form and tend. Now golds had all but disappeared and the African Stripes were extinct. The white had been ambushed in her nest by goblins and murdered with her eggs for goblins want of wealth. Like giants, dragons were never meant to live together but had been forced to do so.  
Sighing, Rom realized that the only course for her people would either stay clear or annihilate the races that had driven them out. Unfortunately, many of the younger generations wanted to fight, and Voldemort gave them an avenue to seek revenge on Earth. Even though the council had grudgingly agreed with Rom to stay neutral, they had decided to allow all dragons to make their own decisions about staying or fighting. With her mission as accomplished as could be, she prepared to return to Pelton in Tennessee.  
"Bam, bam" a stomping outside her honorary cave caught her attention. Stalking over past the sleeping form of John, Rom was surprised to find Athena standing at the entrance. After the ceremonial greetings, wrapped their necks in a far less formal greeting. "Rom, I have decided that I will come back to Earth with you. I find watching my race killing each other tiresome and disheartening. Long have I been around and long have I had no mate to be with that I have come to care not if I live or die. Fortunately, you bring me a reason to live! I have been going on since the death of your parents only for the promise I gave them and when that was fulfilled I thought to die without glory. Now, I can go with you and fight and die the way my race did, proud and strong in the thick of the enemy. Only then can I be with my mates again and your parents, my friends." Tears ran down Rom's snout as she looked into Athena's eyes and saw the pain of the many years spent alone and lost. The trials to bring order on Sanctuary as well with last battle were her last husband, her only love, died by the grips of a giant.  
"You cannot come with me the council is neutral. None of the members are allowed to fight for either side." No verbal answer was needed; Rom could see in Athena's eyes that the council had lost its wise leader. Beaconing for Rom to follow, she went over to the edge of a nearby precipice for dragons to land. "You have the memories of your parents. So you should be able to see as I do that this small world is unable to sustain us for long. Sanctuary is dieing. Our double suns gravity is failing and the ground begins to crack, soon I fear it will split. The council will not fight for it is currently making our new home fit for our race. Unfortunately, I know that I am unable to learn to hunt and feed in another home for long before I die." Sadness lined her aged face as she slipped into reminiscent silence. "Friend, I want to return home! To wallow in the Mediterranean and eat one last mustang, though, I would give this all up to be able to die in combat! I refuse to die of age. I am Athena! I once was the goddess of war to a great culture." Straightening to full height and squaring her lithe body, Athena stood proudly, and Rom could now understand why she once was one of the most fear warriors in dragon history. "I beg you to give me this favor and take me." Without hearing Rom's response, Athena launched herself into the air.  
Befuddled and greatly troubled, Rom walked back into the cave to wake John. They had a long journey back to Tennessee for she sensed that soon Pelton would need her again. 


	17. Brains, Brawns, and Far Worse

"Snap!"  
The park echoed with sounds of deer and other animals. With little persuasion, Pelton had convinced his apprehensive parents to allow him to use the car. After several weeks involved with martial arts and still feeling odd, he had sought refuge in the old park woods. He knew his parents were concerned, but they could not help. Since killing Roger and dueling with Voldemort, Pelton realized it was only the matter of time before retribution knocked on his door. Dumbledore had written him to say as much though had added he could join the Order of the Phoenix.  
Breathing in exasperation and anxiety, Pelton reached the end of the trail and started walking across the parking lot. The pavement shined like silver as the full moon neared its apex. He had become accustomed to ignoring the night noises. Cars on the nearby road whined as engines struggled to move the body. As crickets and toads sang in harmony, owls and bats hunted the chorus members.  
Therefore when the snapping noise sounded, he ignored it as he did the others. This changed, though, when the night became very still and watchful. Muffled footfall became easily discernable with the eerie silence. Within seconds, five figures materialized from the woods. Two huge mountain trolls (such as the troll Harry and Rod had fought) accompanied by three of their little cousins, forest trolls. "Oh great, brains AND brawns." Bringing his staff, which had been disguised as a walking stick, into play, he studied his attackers.  
The mountain trolls were about ten feet tall with wide, round eyes that gave them a look of perpetual stupidity. With a bold head, their muscles bulged without bound-this added to the eyes gave them an extremely comedic look. They carried mauls in one hand twice the size of a human two- handed type that took all the humor away from seeing them.  
On the other side of the coin, forest trolls were about equal height to a normal man with Mohawk hair that we dyed to represent clan. Unlike mountain trolls which are rare to find but universally found, forest trolls can only be found in the Black Forest of Eastern Europe. For the uninformed traveler, the mountain troll would seem the most likely to control of the two, but that same person would die fast while they discovered that forest trolls were the intellectual superior of the two and usually used their big cousins as slaves. The wiry frame of the three forest trolls were unimposing if not for the double bladed throwing axes they all carried in each hand.  
His five enemies spread out before him as they sought to find his blind spot. Unfortunately for them, Pelton gave them little opportunity as he dashed forward. Jabbing the iron-studded end of his stave into the stomach of one of the forest trolls, he drove home his shoulder into the creature's upper chest. Dodging to the side, he watched two axes split the forest troll in the chest. "Stupefy" the stunner caught the perpetrator in the chest. Grateful to see the stunners worked against forest troll, he watched the axe less troll collapse. Before he could attempt to attack the third, he was again dodging as the mammoth mountain trolls swung and blocked his way. After falling dodging an attack, Pelton rolled between one of the trolls and swung his staff against the back on the knee. The troll fell so hard that the remaining forest troll lost balance, and the mountain troll snapped it own neck when it landed on it. With the loss of its friend the second mountain troll ran while the forest troll regained it stance.  
Staring at him with beaded intelligent eyes, the troll studied Pelton. Without warning it jumped forward swing its axes in a fury on swings. Unconsciously, Pelton blocked the attacks, but lost his staff as it was knocked out of his hands. Falling back a few steps, he waited for the next attack. As he thought the forest troll went again with the proven tactic and swung the right axe at Pelton. The poor creature failed to realize that it had been suckered. Grabbing the right wrist, Pelton pulled the troll toward him using its own momentum against it. Falling backwards he throw the troll over him then followed the roll onto the downed creature. Unhesitant, Pelton snapped the troll's neck.  
Only after he had killed the last troll did he realize that the stars had disappeared. A dark chill befell his spine, and his body started to shake. Happiness was obliterated and fears hardly remembered came sweeping upon him. Turning around he noticed two dementors gliding towards him. Fighting the rising fear, he began to think of any happy memories that he could grab a hold of to stop the dread. "Expecto Patronum" he called but the staff only quivered. He concentrated on Lacy's face and the feeling of her skin, but this failed to when Roger's body appeared before him and slowly disintegrated. Tears fell unbidden as Pelton realized the reason for his lost feeling. Before his eyes, he watched his innocence stolen from him in the moments defending Harry for hardly any other reason then Dumbledore had told him to do so. As Pelton's knees gave in, he realized that all he cared for had been endangered by him and could almost welcome death. The dementors were now so close he could see their bony, cracked lips ever coming closer while he prepared himself for death.  
"CRACK!" teeth enveloped the dementor above him. Shortly followed by a huge paw that grabbed the legs of the creature and ripped it in half. Screeching the second dementor tried to escape back into the woods. Fortunately, a second dragon swooped and used its tail to skewer the dementor. In seconds, Pelton saw something that he had thought impossible; a dementor had died.  
Three dragons landed softly and stared at Pelton. Quickly he noticed that Rom had killed the second dementor, but he did not know the other two. Yet, the first one was huge, though still small for a dragon, being twice the size of Rom but with similar colors. Some how the build of the dragon- which was not as lithe as Rom-seemed familiar with its muscles made its girth low to the ground. The second dragon looked more like a football player with low build.  
On contrast though, the third was much larger then both others. Brown with green spines and a patchwork speckled throughout the body giving the appearance of military cameo. All though as muscular as second dragon, this one was much more graceful and held much more pride in its stance.  
"Rom! God, you could not have arrived at a better time. Ha, I guess we are even now." With a laugh his friend shimmered and morphed into her human form. The other two followed suit. Surprisingly, the second one was a very familiar male. John stood before him naked but with an amused smile. The huge dragon formed into a beautiful Greek woman whose tanned skin and prominent nose clearly showed her origins. "Accio Clothing" called the Greek and immediately clothing robes cover all three. "I assume you are Pelton who Rom talks so highly of. I am Athena of Greece." His gapping mouth obviously was amusing, and she laughed and approached and kissed him on both cheeks. "I was once their goddess of war with my brother Ares. Long has it been since I was that woman. Now, I am just Athena the dragon whose years draw near."  
Stepping back, Athena allowed John to approach. "Well I guess I had to figure a way to be with Rom. I guess love helps the process of becoming an Antimagus since I became one in a week. Though, I kind of think I might forget to tell the ministry even though I know that will be very clumsy of me." With a wink from John, they embraced and shortly after stepping from John he was tackled by Rom who seemed to be overjoyed to see him. 


	18. Cracks in Masonry

            Laughter filled the halls as another joke was told.

            Pelton's parents had been overjoyed when he brought back guesses.  Although they had meant John, Rommel was accepted with open arms, and Athena mystified them.  Though usually welcoming of strangers, Snoopy, Pelton's dog, loved the new arrivals but anyone who knew him would tell that he was afraid.  Pelton could hardly blame Snoopy since all three of the guest could become the most powerful of dragons.

            After a week, life seemed to calm somewhat as everyone pitch in to keep the house clean as well as feed the occupants.  Rom and John shared the bed in the guest room while Athena usually slept in the bath with water enjoying the feeling of true water, not water-acid solution.  This arrangement left Pelton in his bed with his dog who spent most of his time sleeping with Pelton since the house was well protected.  
            Pelton awoke to the knocking on the door.  Since he knew that both of his parents were at work and the others rarely got up early, Pelton accompanied Snoopy to the door.  To his complete surprise Dumbledore stood with Lacy and several other males and females all dressed as normal Americans.  "Ah!  Pelton I was hoping you would answer the door.  Would you kindly wake the others up I have extremely little time."  Without hesitation, Pelton dashed up the steps.  Rom and John were entangled but took little persuasion to wake since Rom was wide-awake.  When he entered the bathroom though, Pelton discovered more about Athena's anatomy then he really wanted to know.

            "Hmmm, you know it has been awhile since I had a guy stare at me.  If you want you can join me, unfortunately you will have to take off YOUR clothing."  Laughing at her joke Pelton threw her a towel and ran downstairs into Lacy's waiting arms.  Somehow several teapots had appeared on the stove and chairs had been summoned filling the small family/living room to capacity.  Dumbledore sat making himself tea while several others chased Snoopy in the backyard.  Two seemed to be talking in quiet tones about something that was exciting them both.  Fawke glided around playfully nipping at teenagers that had arrived with the others.  Surprisingly though, none seemed to have a wand in sight.

            Arm and arm, Rom and John, slowly walked down the steps both stifling yawns.  Shortly followed by Athena who at the sight of the newcomers nearly starting bouncing of the balls of her feet.  Several greeted her in an unfamiliar tongue and began to talk earnestly with her.  For several minutes all Pelton did was catch up with Lacy, who seemed to ignore any questions about people around her.  "POP" a bright redheaded man appeared beside him.  Even though stockier then Ron Weasley, Pelton instantly recognized this man was related to the Ron.  The same smile lit his face as well as the freckles spotted his face topped with flaming hair that caught people's attention.  Most of the crowd waved or hailed him, but some of the quieter ones eyed him with distrust and disgust.

            "Aw, finally you have arrived Charlie.  Now, please, everyone could I direct your attention to myself.  I think that our host deserves an explanation for the incursion." As Dumbledore spoke, Pelton found a seat in the back with Lacy sitting on his lap while Athena found a seat beside Dumbledore's.  Rom and John grounded themselves with Snoopy, who slept most the rest of the time after the workout, at their feet.  "I have searched hard to find the remnants of your proud race as well as freed the ones I could with the help of Mr. Weasley here.  Several of your race have joined a dark army led by Voldemort to avenge the purges they survived.  Already he forms three wings of your kind with the promise to give them their world back while the Dragon Council says neutral on a dieing world.  I fear that soon desperation will blind more into Voldemort's arms."  His declaration silenced all conversation, and the room became deadly silent.  Pelton started counting the dragons, consequently he figured out from Dumbledore's comment about the council, in the room.  Unfortunately, the number barely gave them a wing and half if all joined.  "I hope that all here can forget pass transgressions and realize that all dragon's benefit more with those in office then with Voldemort."  This declaration was met with several disbelieving snorts.

            "Excuse me but is it not the leaders of the wizard community that has locked us up even after we helped build many structures that you call 'Great Wonders.'  If it was not that I disliked Voldemort and his followers more then the Ministries of Magic I would have long ago helped him purge the world."  The man who spoke was a giant of a man with pitch-black face and cropped off hair.  His accent was that of a North Africa region maybe even Egyptian in origin.  Several others including American Indians and several Europeans nodded their head in agreement.

            "QUIET!"  Snapped a voice that everyone reeled at.  Athena had jumped from her chair and towered over the crowd before her with disgust dripping from her face.  "If not for some of the wizards you are talking to, our race would have been annihilated long ago.  Only a couple of you have lived through that time, and I can promise you that they could have finished us off.  The Ministries of Magic around the world stopped the slaughter of our kind by others, maybe for impure reasons, but neither less saved us from extinction.  I have little love for what has been done to our race, but I respect Dumbledore to know who the enemy is.  Furthermore, most of us would not be here if Charlie Weasley had refused to help."  Without another word, Athena nodded to Dumbledore and sat turning her complete attention to him.  The huge black man sat and gave Athena an appraising look.

            "Thank you for your kind words Ms. Athena.  I would like to propose that we decide here and now what each of our roles will be.  I am here to ask if you shall join with me and fight Voldemort, stay neutral, or fight for him.  No one will be harmed for his or her decision I promise."  Again mutters spread throughout the room, but everyone remained seated and none left.

            With several nods between each other ending with the black man, he stood and approached Dumbledore.  "I, Aggie, pledge my flight to your cause.  Also, I have been elected to speak for the gathering of both groups present.  They too shall fight for you that is why we are here.  We don't fight for the ministry.  We fight for our right to live as well as the rights of all the younger races, human and centaur, to whom we have dedication our race to protecting.  Others may have forgotten but us here have not!"  Cheers met his speech as others roared shaking the whole house.  This caused Snoopy to wake up who then gave everyone an indignant glare and walk upstairs and jumped into Pelton's bed.  Aggie clasped hands with Dumbledore.  Two of the most powerful beings, one from an ancient race the other from an upstart species, came together with mutual respect causing even more cheering.

            Striking on an idea, Pelton walked purposely towards the front as the cries quieted.  Curious looks followed him as he approached Dumbledore.  Aggie followed Dumbledore's movements stepping aside to yield Pelton the front.  "Hello, my name is Pelton I propose that if we are going to fight together we should create a council to coordinate our actions."  His idea created several mutters to everyone throughout the room most disagreeable.  That was fine he knew it to be an uphill battle.  "Our enemy has an extremely central control and coordination allowing for quick and decisive decisions that to combat we have to be able to team and fight.  The only way to do this is to have a central control, albeit not as central such as one leader, but a group to with a leader to facilitate actions."

            The muttering and nodding began in earnest but to Pelton's surprise Aggie remained outside the discussions therefore was not pick to speak for the whole on this issue.  Much younger in appearance, the man who stood to speak showed much disgust toward Pelton showing that he thought wizards were inferior.  "In human enclaves, councils might be important to tie individuals together for actions by teams, but us dragons hardly need such groups for we are able to decide our own actions without need of someone to tell us.  Besides you yourself said that Voldemort could make quick decisions, therefore we need to be able to make equally fast ones.  That can only be done by independent dragons."  Many dragons cheered this speech while another made a loud comments ("who will be the leader a wizard?  Ha!  We are not going to be slaves").  "Wizard, you are too young to be of use why don't you go upstairs with the _dog_ and play with your toy wand."  Pelton fought viciously to control the anger that threatened to overflow while making keeping a straight face.  Unfortunately, he was losing.

            "CRACK!"  An explosion sent the male sailing into the wall.  At first Pelton stared at his hands thinking he had used mage magic until he saw Rom loaming over the dragon.  "Chinese Gold's use to be known for their intelligence.  Obviously that is not the case anymore."  With this she turned to the stunned on lookers.  "He maybe young in both our terms as well as wizard terms, but Pelton not only saved me he has slayed a wyvern and defeated a raiding party of trolls sent to kill him.  If you listen to no other account consider that only three of you present have ever successfully killed a wyvern.  Plus, only one of you has killed a larger one, Athena ("how did he do it" a flabbergasted Scottish red-head asked).  Ah!  He used a magic rarely seen, anymore, with wizards.  Mage magic the form that most creatures, including ourselves, use on a daily bases, but most wizards store into wands.  He was able to use as much as us Swedish Dwarf's are able to manipulate."

            May gasps followed this comment, though, Rom failed to realize that most we not reacting to what she had said.  The gold male had stood and without a sound formed golden mist around his right hand.  Time slowed for Pelton as the mist, now in the shape of a gold ball, was launched toward Rommel.  All the anger that had been welling up in Pelton burst without any resistance.  Reaching toward the golden ball, he was struck by the funny thought of his hand being a vacuum under a bed trying to tempt a dust bunny into oblivion.  At first the ball slowed then halted while quire distortions appeared throughout the sphere lengthening along the horizontal axis.  The newly shaped comet soared becoming smaller and smaller until it was the diameter of Pelton's outstretched hand and disappeared with a pop.

            Pelton never knew that everyone saw lightening flashing in his eyes and his hair standing ramrod straight.  Later, everyone conveniently forgot to mention these details.  Afterwards, he mostly remembered the warmth and hungry feeling as the primal energy of dragons filled him with enough potential energy to start a fusion reaction.  Channeling this energy back out through his fingers, he launched charged ropes at the gold who was too stunned by the reversal to erect any defenses.

            Hardly three seconds past and Rom stood petrified to her spot while the gold was entangled on the floor unconscious.  Without further comment, Pelton stalked out shortly followed by Lacy.  Long legs took the steep East Tennessee hills without difficulty; he hardly noticed that a soft gentle arm was draped across his shoulders.  Pelton could not shake the hungry feeling that besieged his mind demanding that he finish the gold and steal the untapped resources.  Silence followed him as he entered the nearby woods and collapsed on the ground and shameless tears flowed down his face.

            All Lacy could do was hold him while finally noticing her presence buried his face into her shoulders.  Rarely ever showing his feeling even to her, the tears (the first she had ever seen) and actions surprised her into stunned silence.  Later, he would tell her about how he finally was able to understand the greed that had drove many into almost wiping dragons from existence.  Creatures of the woods approached the sad scene drawn to the energy settling into the plants and animals nearby.  All the trees in the area grew several inches that night as Pelton subconsciously released the dragon's life giving energy into his surroundings.  As death heralds new beginnings, the power to harm sprouted life that night.

            As by some grand jest by powers beyond the reasoning of all involved, Pelton in those hours did more for the world with the Chinese Gold's magic than the dragon had done within his three hundred year life span.


	19. Sanctuary Gone

A horn call split the silence like a hot knife through butter.

Sleepily, the watch dragon shifted its weight. After long night awake away from her mate, the gold dragon stretched her glorious wings. Small and magic-less (one of the few dragons that is) Sentallia was still blessed with amazing senses. Able to see long distances and hearing that made her long for isolation, she made a prime watch dragon.

Finally coming awake, Sentallia stared with small pupil-less eyes trying to discern the origin of the noise. Wind blew dust in little whirlwinds clouding her view. There! In the dark she saw shadows start moving in the dust heralding that something stirred in the desolate arid land. Calling for her mate she readied herself, but what would dare invade a land of dragons. Even in the mid-ages no wizard dared take the dragon council's home. _Must be my imagination_, she thought.

Another gold dragon appeared at her side. Slightly smaller then the first, the newcomer had the look of a racer. Flexing his wings he, Ordun, was a messenger of the Watch Mountain. Greens and golds lived in the edge of dragonkind where isolation and solitude comforted the smallest of the leviathans. He, too, looked in the distance to see if he could find what disturbed his mate. Stretching his neck fully he looked at the fathoms down below him.

This action nearly was his last as a flame shot past nearly engulfing Ordun's head. Huge black dragons had crawled up the mountains silently. With a yell of fury, Ordun launched himself at the intruders. Colliding with the impact that would make buses jealous. All three fell but only Ordun recovered in time. Before he could celebrate, four blood reds appeared with several gray wyverns in tow. Bellowing a challenge, he pleaded for Sentalla to leave as he launched a barrage of pure molten copper that he stored in his stomach. Sentalla launched into the air diving to allow gravity to help while Ordun began to grapple with two of the wyverns. Without warning a speeding ice shards battered her hide puncturing at several places. Before the ambushing white dragon could fire again, a green from the watch garrison shredded it as more and more awoke at the sound of battle.

Calling her thanks, Sentalla continued to fly as the battle raged behind. Weak and near death since one of the ice shards melted near her heart. Sentalla felt the death of her Ordun as he landed gripping a wyvern by the neck dragging at least one enemy to its death. Saddened Sentalla mourned but flew as fast as her wings would carry calling warnings to all dragons on hunt. Soon dozens were in flight guarding her flanks so that they might know what had happened. Images of the continuing battle assaulted her thoughts as the greens gave their lives to buy her time while informing her what to expect. Dragons, wyverns, chimeras, and the scariest of all humans on the backs of dragons blasting all with sorcery flooded her mind.

Finally Sentalla soared past the guards into the Council's Main Chamber. Awaiting the appearance, Tyrdadealla impatiently wondered the reason for being awoken. _Sanctuary being attack?_ Insane. Had to be an over anxious sentinel. _Those damn golds are always hearing things that aren't there _was the all the great dragon could think. Welcoming Alexandra into the chamber, he settled his massive body next to his miniscule companion. "Where is Cebra? Even if new to the council, he should know to be on time." Alex's only response was to shrug. Her white skin was unusually pale since she neared giving birth of a clutch. Tyrda continued to fume as more and more dragons joined the mob around the council chamber. Admiring their calm, Tyrda noticed the silent council guards were already on duty and patently waiting for their orders.

With exaggerated gusto, the newest member of the council arrived. Though smaller than Tyrdadealla, the black dragon Cebra compensated for his size by cunning and deception. Stealthily and light footed, he moved with the grace of a cat. The gleaming from his scales was only matched by the sparkle of intelligence in his eyes. Long and skinny, most considered his species more wyrm than dragon. "I have come, but since we are here already I have a proposal to make after we hear the news." His lip-less sneer turned to the weak gold.

True to her kind, Sentalla forced herself to stand before his defiance with resolution. "A horde of thousands of dragons, wyverns, and even chimeras and wyrms. The worst is the return of Dragon Knights (an audible gasp could be heard from the onlooking dragons). Even as we speak the last of my kind is being wiped out to give you time to escape. Please do not dishonor my mate and my dragons by ignoring this warning." At this Sentalla collapsed into darkness while two others disaparated with her unconscious form. Alex's white form became whiter at the news as the only one of the few survivors of the last war she knew all to well what horrors were to come.

"Sanctuary is gone we most flee," Alex's statement though barely audible shook all that heard it. Most present had never known another home other than Sanctuary, and the thought of leaving frightened them severely. "I am afraid that we might be too late. Couriers fly to all outposts and give the message to fly to wherever you like but to leave immediately. Te...tell them that the Council is abandoning this world and returning to Earth in hiding." Several small greens fly speedily out without another word. "Cebran your proposal will have to wait. We have much to do in organizing the retre..."

Before she could finish though, Cebra surprised all by laughing. "Fool, you think that this could have been done without someone in the council knowing? My proposal that you mention is that for all to surrender and join Voldemort. We shall then not return to Earth in hiding but instead as a horde that will purge the scum that threw us out." His eyes lost its sparkle and were replaced by a madness that scared all in the room. Several took flanking positions to guard him from harm. Tyrdealla, who had been instrumental in the appointing of Cebra, looked like something had not fully died in his stomach.

The silence was finally broken by a young guard "what will you do if we refuse."

"Then I will be forced to prevent you from ever interfering with my plans. Meaning that your precious council will die. None of this council can leave and rally supporters against me! None!"

Before he realized his first mistake, Cebra made his second he failed to realize the numbers against him. The guards, hearing a threat to their charges, launched an all-out attack on Cebra and his guards, which was his first mistake. While the guards attacked, all the other dragons in the room shredded the remaining members of Cebra's guards at the doors and roof. Cebra barely escaped before the guards got to him.

With the hall clear, Alex and Tyrdaella began ordering all the survivors on escape plans and apparating points while more greens where sent to those living deep in the mountain. Council Guards took to the air with most of the older dragons whose days were numbered. One final flight...one more chase for glory. Afterwards most of the younger dragons would remember the flight as one of the finest that ever flew.

Hundreds of dragons who remembered the purges and the troubles that followed took to the skies, and met the oncoming horde head-on. Remembering the pain of leaving his flight behind, Tyrdaella took to the skies determined to die with honor. Within seconds blacks and blues, greens and reds, silver and golds, and more colors than that we can imagine grappled at full speed. Centuries of living in close quarters were released as the primitive, barbaric side took over the defenders. Wyverns dodged the bigger members and tore at the defenders exposed stomachs. Seeing the forgotten wyverns a flight of greens arriving fresh from a far outpost launched themselves into the larger wyverns, and wyrms made the most of this to disengage large reds and pick on the foolish scouts. With a final roar the Captain of the Council Guards rallied the guards and spearheaded into the horde knocking everything in their way toward the ground.

For a moment a witness might have thought that the defenders would win, until the guards lost their element of surprise and began to die. Soon only the Captain lived who soon died holding three dragons to their deaths with him. Afterwards the defenders began to die one-by-one as numbers overwhelmed the tired elders. Tyrdaella fell but not without severely injuring a surprised Cebra. With triumphant cries the horde surged forward towards the mountain where dragons still tried to escape. Cebran could feel the captives he was about to take, and he had never felt better.

Only the horde would never make it to the mountain for one more group of defenders launched into the air. A young green had remembered to warn the most ancient of dragons, crystal dragons. Only a dozen still lived, but they were the creators of the mountain and its caves. Though unrelated to other dragons, the silicon based lifeform looked similar to them hence the name. Predating even dinosaurs, crystal dragons had never been seen by none other than dragons, and even then most had never seen nor paid much heed to the ancients. This was a mistake.

Wielding powers of pure energy from a time that lava was cool and fusion reactions occurred on the surface of the Earth, the horde's attacks were effortlessly deflected off the hides of the crystals. Terror sung threw the ranks of the horde. Into this the crystals tore open the attackers with diamond-edged crystals radiating magic. Even than the horde's numbers began to tell. Slowly the crystal hides started to fail.

This time though when the defenders died, none remained in the mountain's caves.

Of the bodies on the ground, dragon corpses as well as wyverns mixed together in a mosaic of horror and agony. Here, a son's teeth clutched his father's neck while the father impaled his son with a barbed tail. Nearby a female dragon laid where she fell with a broken wing, her unborn daughter never had a chance, an innocent causality. Several yards away two dragons laid griping each other for eternity, they failed to realize both fought for the council. For a civil war had begun, and families killed themselves as soldiers killed their own in ignorance. While countless generations died, the last of the crystal dragons sighed his final breath with the thought of a long lost mate on his mind. With his death, the last of his ancient specie ceased to exist; Sanctuary Mountain collapsed. The epithet to a race that belatedly realized that war comes from within as well as without.

Such is the price of war and ignorance.


	20. Two Most Abunate Elements

The two most abundant elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity.

Fortunately for Pelton, stupidity was winning the day while its rival burned above him. Completely oblivious to being followed, the five unmasked Death Eaters continued along the path through Diagon Alley. Moving cautiously from store front to store front Rommel and Pelton kept an eye on the wolves that moved among the sheep. Dumbledore had sighted these and other Death Eaters moving in Diagon Alley and other nearby areas of London for purposes unknown to the Order of the Phoenix. Although fearful in the beginning, most of the dragons had decided to form a council and work together with the Dumbledore's team. Also, both groups decided the less they knew about each other the better in case someone was captured so only Pelton and Dumbledore were in both societies.

Turning into Knockturn Alley, the Death Eaters mingled with company more like themselves yet still kept moving without hesitation or even the most remote inkling of being watched. Snickering at the irony, Pelton passed two Hogwarts students who had tried to enter Knockturn Alley without escorts. Both students began talking quietly after talking to the guards giving the aura of another effort to illegal entry. Silently, he wished them luck and fun for the guards had become even harder to pass with the reemerges of Voldemort.

To his surprise, Pelton watched as the Death Eaters entered a rickety shop with a half-rotten sign. "Do you know this place?" Rom had noticed his expression. Pelton ignored her question and walked into Shady's Animal Shop ("Owl babies and eggs for cheap"). _And Dragon's_, he silently added to himself. Few others noticed two young adults pass by them, but the atmosphere unnerved Pelton anyway.

Casually Pelton entered and began to look at the merchandise while Rom entered separately minutes later with Lacy and John along. Ignoring knowing anyone around him, Pelton walked up to the counter to see if Shady was working. The Scot was not there but was replaced by a thin man with a ferret's expression. "Hello, may I speak to Shady? Or is he off work today."

Puzzling enough, the man replied, "I am Shady. Er...how may I help you?" The man seemed a bit nerves but gave no sign of being false, but something did not feel right. After several minutes talking to him about buying owls, Pelton asked about any larger flying creatures. "Well, what you are looking for I think you will find in the back room. They are waiting for you and your brethren. Last room on the right." When "Shady" made no show of proceeding in that direction Pelton left him and walked towards the door.

Entering a hallway through the door the man had pointed out. Slowly and cautiously he went from door to door where bags of owl food and cages were stacked several feet high. This continued for several rooms to the point that Pelton almost missed a strangely large cage that seemed out of place with all the owl cages. Detouring into this room, he found the old Scot in a huge cage almost completely hidden behind owl cages.

"Shady, Shady, wake the hell up! Damn it wake up!" Pelton hissed under his breath. Silently he closed the door to the room and quietly began to remove owl cages away from the unconscious Scot's cage. Shady's coat was blood soaked from several puncture marks throughout his body. On the exposed skin, red blood mixed with blue and black from bruises, and at least one broken bone. Finally reaching him through the cages, Pelton forced open the eyelids to find Shady's eye whites staring at him. Pulling out his wand, Pelton whispered some simple blood-thickening spell to staunch the free flowing red stream.

Exiting the room Pelton continued to the room where much laughter and boasting prevailed. Entering the congregation he found several Death Eaters mixed with other men and women who he had noticed entering. Most were excitedly whispering or laughing at jokes that he could not hear. Most seemed to know each other and some seemed to be openly hostile.

Though Pelton's eyes were drawn to the man in the forefront of the crowd. He was extremely pale but with eyes that could melt iron. The man needed even look at Pelton for Pelton received goose bumps. Trying not to stare at him, Pelton felt a primordial fear nearly envelope him. The man seemed to like the shadows so much so that his pale looks became haughty. Pelton positively trembled though when the man finally smiled. Two pure white fangs protruded over his lower lip. Pelton knew that Voldemort had sent a vampire to oversee the meeting. This was bad.

Lacy wandered from display-to-display as a middle-aged woman with her two children (Rom and John). Looking thoughtfully at an owl egg, Lacy thought about the novelty of being a metamorphmagus. Even though forbidden to by her parents, she would hide from tormentors in school in her early years. Her parents were afraid of who her unique talents would attract. After an awful fight with a bully, she had performed her favorite trick. Running around a corner she changed to look like the principle and nearly scared the bully to death; to top it off, she sent him to detention -this later confounded the real principle who could not remember punishing the kid. Unfortunately her parents caught wind of this and grounded her for weeks.

Finally, her parents discovered a man who specialized in odd occurrences and left her with him. Bitterly Lacy remembered the last time she saw her parents who never looked back to say "goodbye." Fortunately the man, Dr. Focte, became more of a father than anyone else ever could be. At only eight she entered a world she never dreamed of before. For Dr. Focte was also a wizard, who had been tasked to search through muggles to find muggleborn wizards. He cared for her and sent the application for Hogwarts where she discovered people who had wonderful gifts like herself. Every summer she went back to live with Dr. Focte since her parents always sent notes asking for that to happen. Sadly her parents never found out what she was, they thought she had been sent to a mental institute for treatment.

"Where is Pelton," Lacy heard herself ask coming out of her reverie. After seeing that he was gone, Lacy slide closer to Rom and whispered "Take John and the others and surround the building. I am going to find Pelton...I think we have a major catch this time." The other two nodded and walked out while Lacy easily sneaked threw the door in the back of the room. Passing the guy laying on the grounded, she found herself in a large room with a man already speaking. "All the Dark Lord asks is that you bring your magic and join the rest of your brethren in returning the world to the worthy. For muggles and weak wizards have ruled long enough, it is time we retake our world!" The pale man's voice peaked and his was raised in the air. "What you need to ask yourself is how many of us have died trying to just live around these pathetic beings. Voldemort is a rare human he is raising a banner to unite all the oppressed that cry for justice!" Lacy's eyes wandered around and realized the danger in the crowd. Several "humans" were definitely anything but that. Others spoke in languages that coursed with magic and seemed uncomfortable with the closed space. Obviously the council had been right about dragons rallying to both sides. Unfortunately if even half there where dragons then they would outnumber the council two-to-one. _Not good_. _Where is Pelton_, she became more desperate to see him needing to find what they should do.

_Hmm, why have you not been around me lately? Am I not good enough now that you are in Ravenclaw? Do you think that you are superior to me?_ Roger's voice interceded into her thoughts. This brought memories of a first year girl whose extreme ambition took her into Slythern. Roger had been in her year, but he had been more confident and seemed to know tons about magic. These qualities drew in the unfortunate girl into his ready arms. At first he seemed to be great, kind and loving. Slowly though, things became more serious over two years, and she broke up with him scared of what was happening. She was able to stay that way for two years before conceding defeat and asked his forgiveness. After two years of failed dating and family problems, Roger had changed into something far more terrifying. Quickly sweeping her back he begin to act as if all the things that happen in the previous years were her fault. Lacy could not bring herself to stay away from him since she never felt loved by anyone else. Fortunately she met someone her fifth year that changed this. Pelton had assisted the Muggle Studies professor one-day for her class. After class, she went and talked with him and the professor about her experiences with her parents. Both expressed their understanding of superstitious muggles. Roger later found out how much time she had spent with others, which did not set well with him. _So I am not good enough to be around everyday? I will show you how wrong you are!_ He then used binding spell to keep her from running. The night he raped and turned her purple with bruises.

When she regained consciousness she ran to the only teacher she trusted. Professor McGonagal was practicing in her office when Lacy burst threw the door. _Dear child what is wrong? Oh God...Pelton get in here. There get the other side we need to help her to Professor Dumbledore's office. _With the infinite humor of the universe, Pelton, who had been with McGonagal practicing transfiguring that he had missed for Muggle Studies. After hearing her refusal to give her attacker's identity, Dumbledore questioned nearly the entire Slytherin House who as is typical feigned ignorance. In his usually benevolent style, Dumbledore realized that one of the Slytherins had done it and re-sorted her into Ravenclaw. Here she relearned how to be happy and even dated a few times without any hard breakups. Throughout, though, she watched one person and only one person. Pelton as usual was completely oblivious that he had impacted anyone and continued to overlook that someone followed him. Unsurprisingly he failed to recognize her when he showed them the power of muggle guns. Unfortunately, Roger did not. If not for Pelton, Lacy knew she would have died this time. Afterwards Lacy begged to be allowed to join Gryffindor to escape Roger since he would not touch her surrounded by students in that house. She knew that she loved him now but still hang onto the secrets of how intertwined Pelton and her lives had been.

Firmly she regained her thoughts. _No time for reminiscing_. She watched as the crowd began to sign a sheet in the front of the room and started to edge around to block the exit. "NOW," Pelton yelled as the ceiling exploded and figures began to drop. The area turned red with stunners and blue with pure lightening. Pelton knocked two out with his staff and blasted another with a stunner. "Impendia," she yelled to stop another from hurting Athena who was thick in the action wielding what looked like a barbed mace. White shining hair flew about as she fought several people who seemed desperate to escape.

Athena felt the calling of battle even before entering the room. The place reeked of desperate dragons. Fury that rarely ever effected her (that was her brother Ares strength) enveloped her as she saw that her friends and families sacrifices wasted on dragons who were craved to regain the power lost to them. After all that happened she hated the humans that had hunted her people, but she had never wanted to rule over them as some of her people did. The ones before her had been "demons" to humans and had killed thousands. She despised them since they had led to the first dragon deaths before humans realized the power they could get from killing them. Many "humans" here had strength that only she could surpass for she was a warrior, and had survived the Dragon Wars AND the Dragon Purges. With each victory she had gained the strength of the defeated and had become one of the most feared dragons before helping to protect the exodus of her people. Magic flowed as she tore another being which smelled like a fearsome Orgral ("Mage Ogre" in their native language). Two Chinese fireballs (their pheromones gave them away) fired their namesakes at Athena who had little difficulty deflecting. Both fell when air around them exploded with a deafening roar. Unfortunately, she could not escape the third Chinese fireball that sneaked behind her. "Impedia" solved that and Athena threw a wave at Lacy. Athena then realized that the pale man who had been on the platform was behind Lacy. In horror, she watched the ensuing fight.

Lacy fell forward and rolled as the hands tried to take her from behind. The cold and pale hands belonged to an equally pale face. Sweeping flaming sparkles from her wand, she retreated and regained her poise. The vampire's fingers gained talons that looked sharp enough to sever heads. He feigned left and swung low to the right. Narrowly missing losing her stomach, she did lose part of her shirt. Before she could fully recover he attacked high; Lacy fell backwards and kicked out with her leg throwing him over her. Standing she turned to find him before with his claws to her neck.

With that her life began to race by, Lacy remembered the night she was with Pelton in the cave. The happiness as she had never felt before and the knowledge that she shared her feelings with another. With that came the memory of watching the green light from Rogers wand, as she fell to the ground she looked at Pelton and thought _at least I get to see his face one last time_. She also remembered waking to his face again laying on her where he had gone unconscious. _God! He needs to lose weigh_ was the thought later while she dragged him away. And the last, the look of longing as he glanced back at her before entering the building. Again she smiled as she saw him finding and thought _gee at least I get to see his face one last time_. She almost laughed at the irony.

Lacy smiled as she collapsed to the ground.


	21. The Dragon Purges

The fire engulfed the vampire.

Rom's quick actions vaporized the evil creature with purifying heat. Unfortunately, the energy was too much and Lacy was tossed in the air. Boneless she hit the chairs and plopped to the floor.

In mid battle Pelton turned and ran for his limp girlfriend. "Bang" the Deatheater he had been facing jinxed him, but that would be that Deatheater's last action as Athena snapped his neck. Pelton crumpled to the ground next to Lacy. Near panicked frenzy, Rom dashed to bodily protect them both. Aurors everywhere were trying to finish off their opponents but could not since few knew that they were facing dragons.

Sensing weakness three Canadian Golds moved in on Rom and her two charges. Rom snarled in the universal dragon challenge. Fearlessly the golds continued to approach assured in numbers. This ended when Rom's legs and arms began to lengthen. Rom's oriental look disappeared as ridges split from the top of her head and her butt sprouted a tail. Taking a third of the room Rommel stood over her two friends with a look of a mother dragon with eggs. Rommel roared in challenge to all the occupants.

Stunned, the room fell silent. Slowly all fights ended, and as one all the combatants turned to watch the events in the center. All three golds took steps back wary of what would happen. The only warning they received was Rommel lifting her head high and slightly back. Only one was not able to get his shield up in time. He perished in flames. The next was thrown as Rommel's tail battered the helpless female gold crushing her against the wall. After shielding and jumping, the third had thought to survive, but he never landed from his jump before being snapped in half by Rommel's powerful jaws. "Hisssssssss" Rommel growled as steam escaped from her nostrils. Her baneful eyes slowly rotated around the room looking at everyone daring them to attack her.

As one, the remaining victims of the trap extended their arms in the air. Few of the dragons had any fight left and none were sure they could transform in time. As for the Deatheaters they knew when a bigger kid had entered the playground.

Until all the aurors and Voldemort's supporters left did Rom transform back to a human. She was joined by John and Athena all who helped Rom carry Pelton and Lacy to the stage. "I will take them back to the headquarters. Rom you need to confront the aurors with the council's terms. After your actions they will be a little miffed about the occurrences. "Rom said nothing as she walked out of the room with John at her side. Athena sighed and wondered if Rom had ever taken the life of a dragon before this time. For even though Rom could remember the experiences of her parents, nothing could prepare a dragon for such knowledge of taken the life of ones kind. Her experiences were still all too vivid for Athena's liking. Such actions still awoke Athena at night, specially the ones from the days of the dragon purges. _When humans and dragons alike thirsted for the power of dieing dragons_, she thought. Of all them though one or two dragons still had not been brought to justice and Athena swore they would. For ultimately that was why she came back...revenge.

Rom walked to the front of the building in a daze. Knowing he could not do much, John contented himself to slip his arm around her waist and help her into a robe. The aurors were on their way back with wands out when Rom and John approached them. "HOLD THERE! I don't know how you witless dragons learned to become Animorphamaguses, but be assured we can still subdue you," the lead auror stated with a gruff and pompous voice. John hearing this bodily stepped in front of Rom as a snarl escaped her mouth. All ten of the wizards raised their wands before them.

"ENOUGH! Expelleramus," stated a haggard but confident voice. With little effort the Irish voice tore all the wands from those present, including John's firm grasp. "Young lass for the daughter of two of the finest of ya race. Ya have none of their patience," a small man with congealed blood on his face stepped out of the nearby side room. "Let go, afer me lad...she can do no more harm while I'm har. An' for an auror, ya extremely stupid, lucky for ya I'm har or that lass wud av tarn ya to pieces. Gentlemen, far years I av helped dragons thrive amongst us. I av hoped for the day that humans wud av finally see the wisdom of the elder race." The wizards seemed ready to add more blood to the silly man's face but none dared attack while he held a wand. "To that end, I gave a lad the egg of comrades of mine. I av thought that maybe I wud bring about the beginning of such a happy time."

"Wisdom of the elder race? HA! Dragons are no smarter then carrion birds or centaurs. You call me stupid? If I was so then why did I pass the exams to become an auror so easily?" The front man stepped menacingly toward Shady (for both Rom and John had figured out who he must be). Shady looked at him with pity and laughed.

"Aye, ya did pass the exams by Bridget. If that be a standard for the exam than carrion birds might av a chance at become aurors." All the aurors had the good graces to blush. "If we av a chance to defeat Voldemort, we av to work together. Dragons will av to be patient an' humans less arrogant. Now...I am off to talk with Dumbledore...you might want to find a common link."

Athena decided long ago that Dionysius, a Greek Smoothback, had been right. Wine fixes everything. Though she thought the Irish more practical, whisky accomplished the same but much faster. One of the strange mysteries of life was that dragons had a less tolerance for alcohol then humans. Dionysius himself was always portrayed in mythology as merry-for good reason-only three glasses of wine made him tipsy. She would have loved to see him with whisky.

After returning from the fight, Athena had left Lacy and Pelton to others for healing and decided to wash the memory of how many she was forced to kill that day. Her human lover Odysseus use to think it ironic that a Mediterranean War dragon did not want to kill. _Humans,_ she sighed _they have little remorse to kill when needed only when not needed did they think death was bad._ She was nearly through her first double-shot (and halfway to being tipsy) when a knock came floating from the door. Half-stumbling to the door, Athena grasped the door to support her as she welcomed the guest. Alex stood in the doorway supporting another dragon that looked savagely beaten both as humans of course. "Good lord get her upstairs!" Athena stepped aside as two other dragons rushed in taking the poor creature to get care. Even though Alex was in human form she was almost as white as her normal form. And she was very pregnant. From a human perspective she was about nine months along though in dragon time that would be the fifth year. "Alex please sit, you should not be traveling you are way too far along. Why did you not send Tyrdaelle instead or is his holiness too lazy?" Athena and Tyrdaelle had never been friends.

"He is dead," was the simple answer that had the same effect as the mouse that roared. "He flew with others to give the greater population of Sanctuary the chance to escape…the mountain is gone and we lost everything." Tears began to swell in her eyes. Athena firmly decided to take another shooter of whiskey. "We are again a race without a home." Athena now fully passed tipsy could do nothing more than just sit and nod as Alex continued the story. She remembered the sacrifices of her mate and best friends to give dragonkind the chance to rebuild on Sanctuary. Now they were back to Earth all because of Voldemort. Even though humans were quick to anger and had lost more in numbers in this latest war, no human could possibly imagine the hatred for Voldemort that passed between Alex and Athena. Over a hundred dead and two more complete species of dragons never to return.

"All the Crystal Dragons are dead?"

"No…right before aparating herself a bronze snuck down to make sure any Crystals were not left behind. She found four eggs that were still alive. Even though they look much like us and choose to follow us into exile, they were never able to keep one of their eggs alive on Sanctuary. That is why they flew that night thinking that their race would die eventually anyways. Stella gathered them in hopes that a volcano would allow for resurrection of the ancients. We have hidden them until we have discovered if any still remain on Earth." Athena sighed at this in relief at least they had a chance to live. None knew that Athena had been the one to convince the Crystals to leave in the first place. "I am hoping to go into hiding myself and stay out of this to keep my baby safe, but I figured you had the right to know. Also the gold I brought with me is the sentry that warned us. I decided to leave her with you because she lost her mate and species to give us the chance to leave. You are the only one I could think of that has been there. Please be kind to her she saved us." Alex left at this.

Again in life Athena felt the need for one of her mates to be there. Poor thing this Sentallia, she had no clue what was to come in life. _Well while I am drinking, I might as well spread the wealth_. Taking some glasses with her she went to the bed where the young gold laid. "May I sit with you?" The gold only looked up. "Will the rest of you give us the room alone, please" as the rest left Athena noticed that Lacy and Pelton were still unconscious. "Senta, do you know who I am."

Dilated eyes turned toward Athena and studied her. "I believe so. You were apart of the council, and you were one of the leaders that led us to Sanctuary. Your name is Athena of Greece." Surprised by this much knowledge, Athena asked if Senta knew of the fight. "My parents refused to talk about the escape. They were too traumatized by it. Though now having gone threw this I think that they were being petty. They did not lose everyone they loved and had lived with" anger and scorn dripped from her mouth. Athena knew that Senta was hoping not to recover. How could she blame her? Athena still wanted to die so that she would join her mates.

"Let me tell you a story," she settled herself next to the bed and began to pour two shooters of whiskey. "I was just a little older then you and had already had four mates. I loved humans and even acted as a god to them as my parents had. I helped build the Greek civilization. I even had human lovers. This changed when the Roman Empire fell. My brother, Ares or Mars, died in Rome at the hands of the Germans. I mourned him but did not fear." She longingly looked at the shooters, _nope have to wait…damn_. If she had known then what she knew now, dragonkind might have been spared. Well that was the past. "My own love for humans blinded me. Some of those Germans realized that they had gained new powers from the dragon's death. Hungrily they sought after some native green forest dragons in Germany and north Italy. Soon wizards of great strength began to appear. I sought to hold my kind from nipping this in the bud. I figured with the power these new wizards would learn wisdom. I was wrong. Soon my kind was under attack in our own homes. Athens itself my home had a mob form to kill me. I barely escaped but lost one mate to them. Angered I killed the wizard that had started the mob and burned a quarter of the city. Soon it spread, and Mongols slaughter several and in North Africa the first Dragon Knight appeared. Before this humans had rode dragons but never as this. Both dragon and rider wanted the power of the helpless dragons. Within three hundred years over a fourth of dragons were dead. What saved our kind was the short life span of the wizards. Though soon more and more appeared, and no city would protect dragons now. Some dragons began to burn hold villages down to punish humans for this torture. I went before the council with my two best friends to plead for us to leave. That night, two more of my mates died at the hands of two dragons that though without riders sought the power anyways. Alex discovered a new planet that night also and began plans for an evacuation. Unfortunately three nights later those two dragons appeared in the council chamber carrying the heads of my mates. Only Alex escaped. She told me what had happened. My species was now down to only a dozen members outside myself."

Lying back a moment, she recalled the faces of her lovers. Hermes's sleek form and cheerful attitude that made her and the others laugh constantly (he was the first to die). Romulus and Remus, twins, that consequently, lived together and also died together. Finally, the last to die…she could not bear to remember him, but she had to do this. "Our plan was simple. Since the gate to the new world would have to be on the ground so that mass numbers of us could leave quickly, we placed two flights in air to guard the gate and myself with my two best friends guarded the door itself on ground. Unfortunately we had been attacked by combined effort of several races. Seven Dragon Knights and over a hundred wyverns who hated us since the beginning of time attacked with wizards of foot. Bravely the last of my kind had volunteered to fight in the first flight. We were known for our blood thirst and fighting ability. My last mate, Orion, led them into the jaws of the horde. Not a single wyvern lived as the other flight joined in comprised of mostly the council guard that had survived their charges, but nor did half of our flights. In the end as I fought humans on ground I watched the last of my kind die. When it came time for us to leave I looked up to call the remains to leave but only Orion lived. Two Dragon Knights had died trying to fight him, but they had gravely injured him. I bellowed and began to rise to cover his retreat but I was grabbed and dragged to the door by my friends. In my haste to help I had missed him yell for me to leave. They had not. His last words were to me and his enemy 'For my kin, for my home, for my race, for my mate you shall never pass me alive.'" Tears by now were free-flowing down her tanned face. "He was wrong they eventually did pass him but not in time. I watched him die after taking another dragon with him. To sum up this story I am one of the only dragons that can understand perfectly what you are going through." Athena attempted to wipe her eyes with her shirt but only smeared them evenly across the face.

"We were never told that story. I did not know that your kind perished for my family. How have you lived this long? How do you go on?"

"I know that one day I will get my revenge. When I see my lovers faces I know that they died fighting the only way for our kind to die! In the end, I hope to go with as much honor as they. I remember the cheerful and the romantic times. I know that I will see them one day, but before I do I have to honor and revenge their deaths or I will never die with peace." Athena handed her a shooter glass and raised it. "To the honorable dead, those who died to save us and dragons in general. May we see you again and live eternally." Athena drank until she passed out as did Sentallia. Both thought of their mates until they left the conscious world.


	22. Return of an Old Nemesis

Slowly the world came to focus as eyes adjusted to the light.

Lacy realized that the light was streaming in from a window next to her bed. Though she did see Athena slumped in a chair next to a human that she could not recognize, she was barely able to perceive the blurred images around her. Several other bodies were near though all were unfamiliar except one. Pelton rested in the bed next to her with little hint of life left in him. _Oh God don't let him be hurt_ was all she could think about as she started to swing her feet off the bed. "ARF" barked Snoopy as she stepped on him. He began to give her a reproachful look until he saw her and started to lick her.

"I was wondering if you would wake anytime soon." Rommel entered the room looking bright eyed and bushy tailed. "We have been waiting for you to wake since most of the damage was mitigated by the armor I made for Pelton. Unfortunately, he seems to never wear it anymore." She sadly looked at his resting form. She smiled though when her eyes rested on Athena sleeping nearby. Tiptoeing over, she took a pitcher off a table next to the bed and dumped nearly a gallon of water on Athena. "Up you old feeble minded dragon, we have work to do." Athena's drippy affronted look made the jibe even funnier. Rom started to turn but was instead tackled by a leaping Athena who ruthlessly began to tickle Rom hissing "youngling…I will teach you 'feeble minded' indeed."

With only a little disorientation, Lacy followed the others down the steps to a house full of activity. She had thought the room full for the last meeting. Now people were apparating handing off messages and disapparting immediately. Nearby two aurors were in deep discussion with a pale lady with winter hair while others read reports being brought in. "Ah, Miss Lacy glad to see you up finally. I was worried that one of my students would be unable to attend Hogwarts this year." Dumbledore stated as he smiled to her from a table nearby. His hand was skeletal and shrunken though he seemed to pay it little favoritism. "Will you please join me for some tea? An old man like myself needs some air once in awhile? Miss Athena or Miss Rommel, would either of you care to suffer an old man's wishes?" Athena just rolled her eyes and grabbed two trays of food. She promptly disappeared up the stairs. Rom also declined by being too busy reading dispatches. Dumbledore winked at Lacy and led her to the back deck where he surprised her by pouring them both cold sweet tea. "I have come to appreciate American sweet tea. Lacks milk, but it does remind me of candy. Though I daresay why I would like candy," his eyes as always twinkled with amusement as Lacy tried not to snort un-lady like.

"Before we begin sir, may I ask how long since the raid?" she inquired.

"One week and two days," Lacy felt her knees go weak. _My god we have both been unconscious that long? Without his armor he must have been seriously hurt._ Turning away from Dumbledore she looked to the woods behind the house trying to understand how they could be tranquil with the world falling around them. Finally after she composed herself she listened as he explained the destruction of Sanctuary and how the drums of war beat for dragon kind.

"As before only great tragedy and death seem to ever startle dragons from slumber. I can only hope that this action is not too little and too late. Luckily, most of the younger dragons survived and have been hidden. Even if this coming war eliminates all here, the dragons will continue to live. The most surprising part is Lord Voldemort's failure to use dragons more. I would have suspected he would use them to draw out this council and keep it from helping the Order. All we can figure is he is massing them for one large attack that will decimate both sides effectively eliminating any dragon threat to his rise to power." Silently Dumbledore drank his tea while staring off at the same woods. Lacy was reluctant to speak knowing he was deep in thought about his former apprentice.

A heavy sigh announced Rom's entrance in the conversation. "Athena is up with Sentalla again. I wish she would at least spend some time discussing tactics and strategy. She is our most experienced veteran, and all she does is sit upstairs." Frustration was evident on Rom's face as she bitterly spoke. "We could really use her input especially with most of the older dragon's deaths above Sanctuary."

"Her talking to Miss Sentalla is as good for Athena as for Sentalla. I daresay if you lost your mate and all the rest of your kind in one battle you would need someone, and Athena has been living only for revenge for so long she has forgotten everything else. She needed someone to bring it in perspective and remind her how to love and care again. She is happier than before you must see that." Dumbledore's words though spoken softly and kindly brought a great blush to Rom's face. Fumbling for words, she was spared any further attempts as a great riot of noise erupted inside.

All three dashed in to be greeted by the sight of Athena supporting same petit woman that she had slept next to down the stairs. The dragon (since Lacy could not figure her to be anything else) seemed to be hurt by the loud noise and continuously winced as anyone's raised voice. Her skin had a light golden color which complemented her gold hair which slightly sparkled in the light. Dismayed Athena attempted to hush the crowd and only succeeding when the pale lady approached prompting silence in the room. "On behave of all the dragons of Sanctuary…I would like to thank Sentalla of Outpost Wing One for her bravery in delivering her message while seriously injured. She has saved every one of us from the trap Cebra set. I also would like to say a personal thanks for you saved both me and my unborn baby. Though we mourn the rest of your kind, we look to the future of any cross breeds you might care in hopes that your brave blood will continue." The yelling resumed and even louder as the pale lady hugged Sentalla and bowed to her. Sentalla seemed to be recovering from the loud noises though she remained uneasy with it.

"I am happy for her. She needs the attention of the others for she is still prone to depression about her mate." Athena idly stated as she pounced on them from the massive crowd. "I think the whiskey is helping dull the sharp moods nicely hopefully she will one day not need it for the pain. Specially helps with dulling just how loud that crowd is to her." Athena seemed in higher spirits than earlier when carrying the trays.

Her next comments were interrupted by the doorbell. All four pushed to see who had arrived and almost made it before the pale lady opened it. The lady if possible became paler and stumbled back attempting to slam the door. It rebounded off an outstretched hand. Two tall dashing men entered the room with sardonic smiles as they surveyed the room. Athena seemed to start to tremble with rage and hate clearly written on her face. Rom grabbed her preventing Athena from jumping at the men. This attracted their attention. In contrast to Athena's reaction, they seemed to brighten at the sight of her. "Aaah, the lovely Athena. Orion sends his greetings, but he was unable to join us on our visit today. Though he did pass on a message, he says 'I will be seeing you soon. I hope you will like our new home.'" With a cry of rage, Athena broke Rom's grasped and rushed the man that had spoken. She was knocked aside with a wave of the man's hand. "I had hoped you still lived. I wanted to see your suffering before I killed you knowing that you failed your mates. Oh, Romulus and Remus also send their regards with 'our kind will finally be together again.' I too share in their joy knowing that your species will so be completely wiped out." Both men disapparated immediately as several dragons finally realized who they were and acted.

The only sound left was the weeping of two women. One wept remembering her mates. The other wept fearing for her child and the memory of a long ago young council woman watching the slaughter of all the others around her.


	23. Open Your Eyes

_Wow it is dark, _he thought.

This thought as well as several after thoughts seemed pointless when describing the complete blackness he faced. Closing his eyes he could almost imagine that the surroundings become brighter. _This is absurd, I am a wizard. _"Lumos!" Nothing happened. Realization came soon afterwards that his wand and staff were missing, either taken or having fallen in the impenetrable dark.

"Hello?" He called hoping for some effect though all he heard was daunting silence. _Was worth the try, yet I am still at square one. Well one direction is good as the next. _Pelton took a step forward and started walking. Eons or maybe years passed yet nothing changed; Pelton started becoming just a little miffed. His feelings failed to help since nothing was around to hit or otherwise dismember. Pausing he realized that he did not feel tired though he had been traveling for some amount of time. This led quickly to the question _how did I get here? _As hard as he thought he could not remember what had happened. _I was fighting Death Eaters,_ was his last memory.

Without warning light appeared. Before him he recognized his old room from a house nearly forgotten. Studying the floor he found drawing of stick figures laying about that felt oddly disturbing. One showed clear attempts to draw a peaceful plane yet found it marred. The artist had clearly added potholes and exploding shells with stick figure corpses. Even though the art was crude and undeveloped, the attempt was clear at drawing an active battlefield. _What kid would draw this? Was he or she a friend of mine?_ That is when he noticed a scratching noise behind him. Slowly he turned to find the artist before him. Skinny to the point of anorexia and lacking the slender muscles he would later need was his boyish self. He, himself, worked over a sheet of paper oblivious to the world around him. Pelton crept up to look over his young shoulders to find a new seen of death. This time one stick figure dominated the scene with a gun seemingly holding of an unknown horde coming from off page. _Was I truly like this as a kid? Seeing myself as a heroic figure fighting that last battle, alone and stubborn. My parents would have been horrified. Did they know and not tell me? _

Sighing, the kid dropped his colored pencil and bent to retrieve it. In the process, he surprised Pelton by noticing him. "Who are you? Are you a stranger? Mom and dad would not like strangers!" His younger self showed no fear but instead held curiosity. As with his older self, Pelton seemed interested in the world around him.

Deciding to avoid the questions, Pelton inquired "do your parents know of your art works?"

"No, I hide them when I leave. Mom wants me to draw pwetty pictures. Dad is not home," this last remark seemed to sadden him. Pelton had long forgotten how much he missed his father when he was working everyday.

"Is that your dad with the gun in your drawing?" Pelton asked feinting ignorance when he knew all too well the identity of the stick figure.

"That is me! I am a hewo! I will kill all the bad guys." The kid tried to stand tall and look strong and proud. This was an achievement when coming from a skinny kid with wobbly knees.

"Your drawing is very vivid. How do you know what a battlefield looks like? Did you see it in a movie?" Pelton throughout the discussion had a sinking feeling. His young image smiled proudly and told him that he just knew what a battlefield looked like.

"I see myself up there killing the bad guys! I am a hewo. I will be rich and famous. A hewo!"

Abruptly the scene disappeared and Pelton was on a wide field. Corpses littered the ground. The smell was overpowering yet Pelton almost felt at home. A lone figure crouched at the top of a small hill which dominated the area. As Pelton approached he noticed the figure held helmed head of a nearby corpse. Further observation showed him to be a young man barely in his twenties unarmored sobbing while sporting numerous cuts and bruises. Pelton quietly put his hand on the man's shoulder and softly asked "who was he? He must have been noble for you to be crying over him."

The young man refrained from looking up, but he did answer. "He was my father. A great king though not always the best father."

Sympathy welled up in Pelton though he could think of nothing to comfort the man. Pelton instead remained silent allowing the son to cry for his father. All the corpses seemed to have armor though a few sported bows and even staves. The great battle did not seem to have sides but instead had been fought like a great free-for-all. Some even sported the same standards but clearly had fought each other. _A massive civil war? _Only the breeze answered bringing in the fresh smell of death and sweat.

"I started it you know. I caused his downfall, this battle. All I wanted was his love and his respect. Could you not give that to me father? I was unworthy I guess," the man spoke loudly startling nearby scavenger birds as his voice echoed in the distance. As the echo began to fade, the man quietly implored his father "was your only son not worth your name. Did the Great King Arthur produce a villain?"

A cold chill ran down Pelton's back at this question. Ice formed in his belly knowing that he had to ask the question even though he knew the answer. "Who are you?"

Distantly some thunder rolled, foreshadowing the obvious answer. For King Arthur only had one son, "I am Mordred, bastard son of King Arthur and his sister. For such a crime I was ignored and shunned. I sought to prove myself…to make myself worthy of my father's attention. In the end he would not listen so I tried to force him to listen. All I ended up doing is proving myself a villain. The Knights of the Round Table are gone and he is dead. Why father could not you love me?" The scene was illuminated by lightening. "You made me do it you know. You forced me to use my magic to show you power. I have power and you would not see it," Pelton felt the mage magic emanating from Mordred, and it was powerful. With a sigh the man finally looked up at Pelton sending a jolt through him as Mordred finished with "I just wanted to be a hero."

Bile choked Pelton as the scene disappeared. Even in the silence of the dark room, the words hung in the air _I am a hewo _and _I just wanted to be a hero._ What did it all mean? "TELL ME! Why? What are you trying to tell me?" He yelled into the dark. Silence answered. Frustrated Pelton swore every variation he had ever learned. Faintly he heard another voice. It was Professor Dumbledore's voice. Quietly it repeated itself until he could finally hear "Remember this will NOT be a game, and often you will be in peril." His mind teleported back to that day so many years ago. He had been elated and impatient to rush into danger. Pelton shivered.

Unsurprisingly the light came again. This time the vision was to a recognizable scene of his family room. Dozens of humans (that he remembered were dragons in disguise) sat or stood in discussion. A familiar female was standing near another Pelton. Both were angry though his image seemed to barely be containing it while Rom spoke. "…as much as us Swedish Dwarf's are able to manipulate." Several others gasped though few were looking at Rom anymore. A golden ball flew toward Rom. Midway it began to distort and shrink until it completely disappeared. Pelton closed his eyes knowing what happened next. As the silence beaconed, he reopened to find the scene frozen in display. Before him remained a still frame of the horrible scene. His hair stood at end dancing with the power that he had sucked up form the Golden Chinese, and the horror on Athena's and Rom's faces. Most likely they felt this way for the disgraceful attack, but Pelton soon felt like them for a different reason. On his face was hunger, a deep ravenous craving for more power. _I am a hewo!_

As the scene disappeared, he knew what the dark was. He knew a choice would come soon that would decide everything. The darkness began to lighten, and he felt consciousness hooking him. He started to drift away from the dark. A voice heard though almost missed called to him. "Pelton open your eyes."

_I already have._


	24. Payback is a Bitch!

Panicking sheep heralded the shadows that flew over. Herders fought to keep their flock while trying to find the source of the stampede. Somehow they missed the shadows and creatures that soon surrounded them. The herders remained clueless even after they finally succeeded in rallying the sheep. That night all they could talk about is that dozens were missing. They must have gotten lost.

* * *

Athena savored the morning air. She felt content and ready now that the recently eaten sheep had settled. _Finally, my people will have a home that is Earthlike, _she thought. The last few weeks had been rushed yet hopeful. Stella, the dragon that had rescued the Crystal Dragons' eggs, had found a planet that was almost a picturesque version of the dragon's homeland. The world even had a small population sentient life that was still in the Stone Age. With rising spirits the main part of the refugees decided that fighting Voldemort was less important than a new life. Though Athena wanted to fight, she was convinced to help the evacuation.

A chilly wind swept past and several of the warm weather breeds shivered as they waited for their turn into the portal. Nearby, both the revitalized Sentallia and Alex spoke quietly with a group of the refugees. Alex finally had gained some of her color as her clutch was laid already on the new planet. She returned to help coordinate the queue. Sentallia had been asked to join them since she would be able to hear any approaching enemies well before they arrived. All were in their natural form relying on magic to keep any humans away. Having little to occupy her she could not help but think of her lost loves. _Soon, very soon I will see you again and we will enjoy the long nights, _and that made her smile as added_, one by one._

As if from a nightmare a pair of dragons appeared before the assembly. Both were black as night itself with none of the usual markings to give breed. Only rivaled in size by a few breeds, they even were larger than Athena. "Helbindi, to think after our friends forgot to invite us for this dinner, you would think they do not want us here! Loki would have been insulted." He looked to his twin who was grinning madly from ear to ear.

"Indeed Byleist, Brother Loki, would have loved to play with the morsels before dinner. Surely with this large an entrée we can spare some for the rest? The power centered on this hill should suffice to prevent even Lord Voldemort from ever threatening us. Oh look, the sheep…I mean our friends seem to think they can fight. Already prepared to defend that portal after our last visit? Poor fools might want to start running now." The two black dragons' smiles turned nasty as they watched Athena and the rest start forming a ragged formation ready to spring into flight.

This smiled died when they saw not fear, but all the defenders wore confidence like a badge. To further confuse them, Athena stepped purposely forward and spoke. "Years have I waited to avenge my mates and species. Years have I thought about the dragons behind the mob that killed Hermes and nearly caught me. Years I have remembered you walking into the Council Chambers with Romulus and Remus's heads. Only solace I had was that you never took down Orion. I know now that you do this to punish me for Loki's death to my brother and myself at Rome yet I pity you." She let them snort contempt at such a thought. She knew something they did not and she felt a need to keep it that way. "See the reason I say this is all my mates you killed you had to do so without a fight. You are weak. You feared us and you tried to wipe us out yet you let others do so. I pity you because I know you are here with backup and will not fight me without it. I pity you because you are already dead and just too stupid and shortsighted to know." Athena finally allowed her smile or confidence to disappear into one of feral hunger. After all the times as a human after all her human lovers and even after the death of her species, she was still a dragon, a Mediterranean War. Both Helbindi and Byleist seemed to lose some nerve and started noticing their exposure in front of all the extremely angry defenders.

Though neither verbally answered Athena, their disappearing proved that she had struck them to the core. Unfortunately, this heralded distant specks that looked like a swarm of angry bees. Bees traveling in the hundreds. Even after her words, Athena was amazed by the sight. _Every wyvern, dragon, and wyrm must be flying this way. I had heard the stories, but I never believed them._ None of the defenders needed any orders at this point all knew what needed to happen next. All had joined knowing they were the last that remembered the original purges. Too young to die soon but too old to help build their new home all had come to die and save the new generation of the age old fight. Feeling her blood boil Athena roared letting her bloodlust take over.

"Let us take the fight to them. For our lands, for our loved ones, for revenge!" She cried with passion. Taking up the call the dragons leaped forward eating the distance to the approaching horde with ease. Within seconds the two groups collided. Athena sliced the wings off of three dragons in the first pass sending them plummeting. Several of the defenders held back and starting casting fiery bolts into the horde. With little room to maneuver the attackers took heavy casualties, but the numbers began to tell. Athena swung low and dodged underneath the battle barely surviving being grappled. She prayed that soon Helbindi and Byleist would reappear to gloat.

As fast as the fight began it ended. Surrounded only twenty defenders remained in a rough sphere. "Athena end this and these dragons will be allowed to leave and die peacefully. We would love to accelerate it, but we would rather visit the new planet. So step away from the portal and leave," Helbindi called from behind several wyverns. For the second time in a night he was surprised. The defenders just laughed. He would never understand.

* * *

Pelton felt Rom's muscles exert trying to get ever last ounce of speed. Surprise was everything for the coming fight and all the dragons knew this. Cold vapor soaked him chilling him to the bone as the flight used clouds to cloak their approach. Though few were visible with the cloud coverage, hundreds attempted to keep up with Rom. Young and old dragons readied with glee for the coming fight. Too long had they been in fear.

As the last wisps of fluffy cloud fled, Pelton let himself feel excited. Before them thousands of enemies were bunched up in before the volunteer bait. Chuckle slipped his frozen lips as he saw the fake portal. Those that wanted to flee had already left weeks before this day. This location had only one purpose: to eradicate the dragonkind's mistakes and past. Few dragons would survive the upcoming fight, but it had to be done. As they came within spitting distance, Rom reared her head and yelled to the heavens "today is our last fight. Today ends our kind's ties to this planet!" A roared of challenge caused avalanches for miles around.

* * *

Athena watched with satisfactions as the trap destroyed the rear of the opposing horde. The "bait" launched themselves into the confused aggressors. Several died without even realizing the fight's balance of power had shifted. Athena knew though her next task as clear as air. Calling to the twins she yelled "Now who should surrender?"

Even though the brothers had no bodyguards to throw before her, they remained calm. "Athena, Athena do you think you could possibly kill us?" Byleist retorted. Both shimmered as they start to apparate away. It failed.

"I forgot to mention that we made sure no one leaves this fight."

Being to show traces of fear the brothers spread out hoping to catch Athena between them. With a roar she charged pummeling Byleist in the face with a tail wipe while heading straight for Helbindi. Camouflage hide struck the black scales with the power of a Mack truck. Both lashed out with claws creating deep cuts though causing little damage. Pushing off Athena release Helbindi and launched herself upwards as Byleist attempted to take her from behind.

As she soared higher she watched as Pelton on Rommel's back used lighting to kill a Dragon Knight as Rom tore its companion to shred. Other Dragon Knights though still remained using levitation spells to throw large spears that impaled unlucky defenders. On the other side of the fight, Alex used her ice breath to create ice lances to kill. The battle fever was contagious and Athena soaked it up using to power her wings. Her brother, Ares, would have laughed at the once "benevolent" Goddess of Wisdom enjoying bloodshed. Yet, she knew what was to come.

Just short of the clouds and far above the raging fight, Athena turned to face her rivals. Hate burned in her eyes as she met them head-on. Sinking claws into the both and keeping them below her she sought to keep them from killing her. Unfortunately her luck ran out as a lucky swipe from Helbindi punctured a lung. Her roared silenced the heavens as below small fights ceased as heads focused at the titans above them. Athena saw none of this. Her eyes went out of focus, and she started getting tunnel vision.

_ You know what needs to be done. We will give you the strength but only you can take the next step. _The words came from a whisper that tickled her ears. Lifting her head slowly her eyes finally focused on a single shape that seemed to sit on a cloud before her. His massive body looked at out place with his boyish face. Though few would have told Orion that, his strength was legendary. He spread his wings and shapes appeared under them. Romulus and Remus came forward and smiled. Hermes appeared under the other wing and winked. His eyes twinkled and seemed to promise the tickling wars to come. The shapes continued to appear as Ares led all their kind to stand behind her mates. All the Mediterranean War Dragons that ever lived silently encouraged her to do that which she had planned. A single tear glistened dropped from her eye.

"I pity you. After all this time you never learned the greatest lesson. You never loved. Love never dies, ever. It changes. It grows. It shines, but it never dies. Finally I pity you because you made your final mistake. An old saying states "assassination is guaranteed when the assassin has decided to die," she stilled her wings and clung to both her enemies. Fear began to register into Helbindi and Byleist's eyes as they tumbled threw the now silent fight. Yet Athena saw ignored all, she only looked at the images of her smiling mates. Orion's eyes reached for her very soul. Her love never died.

* * *

Pelton silently prayed Athena would return to her mates as he watched her death. Only one fight continued unabated. Cebra attempted to dodge lances being thrown by Alex. Both tiny in comparison to the other massive combatants, they fought a battle of constant movement. Cebra responded with acid that never seemed destined to miss as Alex dodged. Frustrated Cebra closed the distance attempting to tear her white hide. She tail swiped keeping him at bay. Feinting a dive she climbed as she sought to get some distance. Cebra was waiting. He soared straight under her and grabbed her tail. Alex shrieked as she was forced to take several deep wounds to her tail and torso. Slowly Cebra dragged Alex into a general melee with him. With a final roar he dug his teeth deep into Alex's neck. Pinkish blood dribbled between his teeth as her life essence left.

Unfortunately for Cebra Alex had sold her life to keep his attention. Sentallia shredded his left wing in a single pass sealing his fate. Cebra dropped with the lifeless body of Alex.

Having seen all their leaders die, the remaining attackers scattered. Ignoring the fleeing wyverns, the surviving defenders hunted the fleeing dragons. Dragon Knights sought to slow down the rout, but Pelton targeted each killing them one by one. As long as the fight had seemed it ended in less than twenty minutes of fighting.

After the fall of the last Dragon Knight, Rom and Pelton landed next the form of Athena. Pelton knelt to touch her one last time. Without warning her eyes shot open. Her eyes turned and focused on Rom. "I am the last of the old council. Alex and I knew we would die here and decided that the best dragon to lead the new council is you. Rommel, we task you to create a home for our kind and to remind our people the price paid on this day. Let none forget. None." Tears streamed down Rom's face as Athena than focused on Pelton. "I did what I had to today. Do you understand?"

Pelton whispered so low that only Athena could hear "yes I now know my destiny. I won't hesitate. Go to your mates and know I will see you again one day." Athena seemed to stare through him seeking the wisdom she hoped he had gained.

"Pelton…Rom never forget love never dies." With a sigh her eyes looked beyond them. "Orion be a dear and help an old lady stand, the bones just don't respond like they use to." With a final sigh, Athena's eyes closed for the last time.

Hours later, Lacy and John joined Rom and Pelton in front of the true portal to the new dragon homeworld. "Are you sure man? Rom and I could sure use you. Organization has never been our strong side. "John tried one last time to convince Pelton. Rom and John had decided to rise to Athena's challenge and formed a large council to begin a new life on a new world.

The cool breeze swept toward them chilling Pelton. Lacy snuggled close to him for warmth. "I am going back to help Dumbledore. The dragons are gone, but Lord Voldemort is still alive and well. I can't leave," Rom seemed near to stunning him and taking Pelton along anyways. John only sighed. "Besides, the purpose of going to this new planet is to leave us humans behind. A sham it would be to spoil that goal!" After a few seconds thought, Pelton held out a package to Rom. "This is the Wyvern Armor. You made it for me so I could be your Dragon Knight now I return it as the Dragon Knights finally disappear. One day you might need it." Rom and John took the gift and hugged Pelton.

"What about you Lacy? Come join us and help form this new world?" Lacy sadly shook her head. "The portal will be opened a little longer, but once it is closed it can never be reopened. Dragonkind can never return. Take this time to reconsider please," Rom begged. After a few more farewells Rom and John vanished into the portal.

As the last of the dragons gather together to leave Pelton disengaged himself from Lacy and softly spoke to her. "Please go Lacy. You deserve a break. I am leaving to fight when you should have peace." Pelton fought the tears that he knew threatened to fall. He wanted more than anything to have her join Rom, to live in peace. Yet a small voice yelled to hold her close and never let go.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why continue to fight? You have earned the rest. Pelton we could go with our friends and live out our lives fat and happy. Snuggle when we are ninety giggling at the antics of the young dragons. Think of the life we could live! Just you and me no Voldemort, no mage magic, and no war. Just peace and love. Pelton why must you turn you back on it?" Her voice pleaded to him. Her eyes ensnared his forcing the tears to slowly trickle down.

Gathering his will, he put his hand on each of her shoulders and whispered "Ever since I was a kind I knew I would die alone dieing to save other against impossible odds. Until recently I thought I could avoid that fate and live out my life in happiness. It took a dream world to remind me of my destiny. Athena knew. I turn my back on happiness so I can save others. What else can I do?" Breaking eye contact Pelton began to walk away. Gently a hand touched his shoulder. His body responded without a thought and stopped. At that moment Pelton knew he would turn away from death if Lacy asked. He knew that he would give in to her wishes regardless of the consequences.

"You are wrong on one thing," she paused and audibly collected herself. Pelton waited for the inevitable plea for him to go with Rom. "You need not die alone. I refuse to let that happen." Without a thought he whirled around and his arms sought her out. Tears rolled freely in both faces as they both knew they were not alone anymore and never would be again.


	25. Epilogue

The Great Hall was loud with the celebration and mourning of the final battle. Everywhere people realized that Lord Voldemort was gone for good and never would be able to return. House Elves danced tears brimming with the possibility of freedom while young wizards hugged family glad the terror was over.

Fifty-four corpses lined the walls. Fifty-four people who had died fighting the Death Eaters and its allies were surrounded by friends and family mourning the terrible cost. Only two lay without mourners. Few in the Great Hall recognized them and even fewer remembered their names. The only thing most knew was their final battle. As the Death Eaters finally broke the outer walls of Hogwarts, two wizards leapt forward and held slowed them down. The few minutes the two survived gave enough time for the defenders to flee into the Castle itself. Later when their bodies were recovered nearly fifteen Death Eaters were found dead either curiously burned or electrocuted along with two giants.

As things settled down one man approached and knelt next to them. He smiled as he noticed they held hands in the end. One had a broken staff lying with him and the other a wand. Softly Aberforth whispered "so dies the last of my brother's secrets. He always loved his magic and those he taught its ways. Goodbye Pelton and Lacy. Let Mage Magic die with you and never return." As he stood, another figured whispered nearby responded "Aye let Mage Magic die indeed. As the dragons flee this world and the war comes to an end, let that which corrupted everyone but two vanish." With one final salute to the only two uncorrupted Mage Magic users, Shady and Aberforth disappeared in the crowds.

Pelton and Lacy would later be buried together their hands eternally bound. As they would have willed it to be.


End file.
